Life and Love
by Chikorita-Trainer1
Summary: The story of Damian coming to terms with his first crush. Sorting out his confusing feelings and beginning his first relationship.
1. Chapter 01

**Life and Love: Chapter 01  
**

Chikorita-Trainer1

T

Disclaimer: I don't own Batman or anything I might make references to.

* * *

Damian Wayne never really thought about falling in love. He knew it might happen to him, but he never anticipated it. Partly because he was too young to care much about relationships, and partly because even when he did think about it, he scoffed and cast the notion off as a waste of time.

Emotions aside, he assumed it was normal to talk about girls as if he were at least _physically_ attracted to them. Whether it was Katana or Cassandra, he thought he was _supposed_ to find girls attractive, so he just acted like he did.

But in truth, Damian didn't really like _any_ girls. And he didn't realize he never liked them until he found someone he really did like.

And, as is usual with this kind of realization, when it hit him, he was mortified. But he did acknowledge that he had to talk to someone about it, if only to put it in perspective.

Unfortunately, Damian didn't have anyone he really could consider a confidant. He had many family members who cared for him, but his relationships with each of them were extremely delicate and he wanted to keep them the way they were.

His first thought was to confess to Dick. He had been Damian's partner for months- Damian's favorite partner- and that was probably the most intimate thought he'd ever told the man. He knew Dick would not judge him, would not criticize him, but he DID know Dick would tease him. He would fawn all over him with adoration and congratulations, and Damian did NOT want that.

His father was another option. The man who had devoted his life to justice certainly wouldn't do something like kick his own son out of the house for liking someone. But his father's opinion still meant everything to Damian, and he wasn't at all sure if he wanted his father to know something as huge as this.

Alfred would certainly treat him and the matter with the utmost respect, but since the butler had never had a love interest of his own (as far as Damian knew), he didn't think the man would understand.

Jason Todd was certainly out of the question- the man was unpredictable, unpleasant, and most important, didn't live with them.

That left Tim Drake, the boy Damian considered his personal enemy. Still never having really come to terms with _why_ he still hated him so much, Damian was always hostile to his seventeen-year-old brother. However, the fact that neither boy liked the other made it simple; if Tim should find this confession of Damian's something to make fun of…what would be the problem? They already hated each other, right?

Damian had made up his mind when he walked up the stairs to the second floor of Wayne Manor, and knocked on Tim's bedroom door.

"Drake?" Damian asked timidly.

"Yeah?" Tim answered.

"Um, can I talk to you about something?"

Tim was quiet for a moment as he shifted his eyes from left to right.

"Why _me?"_ he asked hesitantly. "I mean, not existentially, "why me?" just…why ME specifically?"

"Because the problem I need to discuss is embarrassing and you're the only person I know whose opinion of me can't possibly drop any lower!" grumbled Damian.

Still confused, Tim just said "So I'm your first choice _and_ a last resort?"

"I don't know what you mean, Drake. I just need help, and I can't talk to my father or Grayson or Pennyworth-"

"OK, OK, I get it," said Tim (even though he really didn't). "Tell me what's wrong."

Tim honestly had no clue what his little brother was going to say. A few thoughts ran through his head as the child hopped up beside him on the bed.

Was it puberty-related? Was Damian experiencing some embarrassing physical changes that he had to ask an older male about? Was it something related to crime-fighting that he couldn't figure out and was too proud to admit he didn't know?

"I, uh," Damian began. It was only now that they were sitting side by side that Tim noticed just how apprehensive the little Robin was.

"Oh my gosh… _you're shaking,"_ he said.

"I told you that this was embarrassing!" Damian whined, his voice cracking.

"Sorry. Go on."

"OK, so, here's the thing…" Tim leaned in, expecting Damian to whisper something. "…I think I might be gay."

…

…

Tim obviously didn't know what to say right away. His first impulse was to laugh- not because being gay is funny, but because it was the last thing he ever expected from Damian.

"Well, um, OK," said Tim. "How do you know?"

"There's this boy, and…he's my age…and we're friends, and…" Damian rambled and stuttered. "It's stupid," he finally declared.

"It's not stupid to like someone, Damian. I think it's nice."

"I don't know _for sure_ if I do. I've never had a friend my own age before. Maybe I just like him as a friend a lot," Damian suggested.

"Damian, you know there's nothing wrong with being gay, right?" Tim asked gently, feeling the need to bring it up.

"It's not a moral issue, Drake. I think you know me better than that!" said Damian.

"I know."

"And, like I said, I don't know for sure if I am. I just think I might be."

"I understand," said Tim, trying his best to be sympathetic. "But I don't think you'd be this bothered by it and come talk to me if you didn't already believe it was the case."

"So you think I am?" Damian asked.

"I think you'd know better than anyone. Anyway, who is this boy?"

"He's an orphan at St. Aden's. His name is Colin. And he's a hero. That's how we met- he helped me take down Zsazs."

"Ohhh…wait…Colin Wilkes? Abuse?" asked Tim.

"Yeah," said Damian. "Wait- how do you know him?"

"His file is on the Bat Computer, duh," said Tim. Damian just sighed. Of course his file was on the computer- it was Batman who had saved him from the venom, wasn't it? "Anyway, how do you know you like him?" Damian gave his older brother a curious look. _"Right. Guess that's a stupid question."_

"I think about him a lot," Damian admitted softly. "And…" he took a deep breath before continuing. "When I think about him, I get this like…tingly feeling…in my heart."

Tim turned away, trying to conceal his grin at how absolutely adorable that sounded.

"And whenever I'm not doing something, like, whenever I'm not out with my father, or working on a case, I think about him. And I think about doing stuff with him. Like, I think about having him with me on missions, or just hanging out with him. When he's not around, I wish he was."

Tim managed to keep a straight face, and put his hand on Damian's shoulder. "Yeah, that sounds like a crush, alright," he said.

"But how can I be having these thoughts? I'm only ten! Aren't I too young to be interested in dating in the first place?" Damian whined, desperately trying to deny the situation.

"The age at which someone becomes interested in dating is different for everyone," Tim said, answering articulately, as if he was replying to a letter in an advice column. "Some people don't even get their first crush until high school. And, as childish and annoying as you can be at times, in some ways, you _are_ actually pretty mature for your age. I wouldn't be surprised if you had a crush on a girl at this point. But, I guess it happens to be a boy."

"But you'd think my first crush _wouldn't_ be a boy. Don't most gay people think they're straight and have a crush on the opposite gender first-?"

Tim cut Damian off. "Not necessarily. I was listening to a radio show a while back, it was an interview with a gay man, and he said he'd known since he was eight! He said there was a boy in his class in 3rd grade he had a crush on and he said he was heartbroken when the kid transferred schools in the next year."

" _Eight?_ Jeez, that's way young," said Damian.

"Everyone acknowledges or discovers their sexual orientation at a different age-"

"D-don't- don't use that word!" Damian sputtered, putting his hands over his ears. "Don't say… _sexual_ orientation! I'm not sexual! I'm a kid!"

"OK, your… _romantic_ orientation, then," said Tim. "Anyway, since you're discovering it this early, you'll probably have an easier adolescence than gay kids who don't discover it until they're teenagers."

Damian sighed and wiped his eyes. "I know," he whined. "But I still don't…" he trailed off.

"What?" asked Tim.

" _I don't want to be this way,"_ he said softly. Tim reached out and wrapped his arm around his little brother.

"Nobody _wants_ to be gay, Damian," he said. "But it's not a choice, despite what some people may tell you."

"I _know,_ Drake. I told you this wasn't about morality! It's just about…my life is frustrating enough, you know? Bad enough I'm stuck living in the shadows of my father and you and Grayson. Now I have feelings for someone I can never be with!"

"Why do you say that? Do you know for sure that he isn't gay?" asked Tim, trying to be encouraging.

"No," said Damian. "But what are the odds? And even if he is, it still doesn't guarantee that he'll like me back."

"Well, you never know until you ask," said Tim. "But I certainly understand. Unrequited love is no fun."

Damian sighed again.

"And this doesn't lower my opinion of you, by the way," said Tim. "If anything, I've gained some respect for you."

"Why?"

"Because you chose to come to terms with this. You acknowledged that it's not something that can be controlled, and instead of getting angry and lashing out, or denying it, you confronted it, and you understood that talking to someone about it would help. That's a way more mature and healthy approach than most kids would have. I'm proud of you, Damian."

A sudden surge of adrenaline overtook Damian, and he shuddered. "Wow. Heh, wasn't expecting THAT from you," he laughed. "Um, don't tell Father, though. Or Grayson, or Pennyworth-"

"Of course not, Damian. I would _never_ out you, or anyone."

"Thanks," said Damian. "So, do you think I should tell him I like him?"

"I don't know," said Tim. "If I were you, I wouldn't. I mean, if he lives at an orphanage, how often do the two of you even get to see each other? To dump this kind of thing in his lap might overwhelm or even scare him. Maybe hang out with him a little more, become better friends with him first. See where it leads. You know?"

"Yeah. You're probably right," said Damian. "Thanks. For listening."

"No problem," said Tim, giving Damian a couple of gentle pats on his upper back before the child got up and started to exit the room. "Damian, whatever happens, I hope you find someone to like you back. You have…you have a lot to give. Probably more than you know."

Damian smiled, and left the room.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 01

Please review, thanks.


	2. Chapter 02

**Life and Love: Chapter 02**

Chikorita-Trainer1

T

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Author's note: **PLEASE REVIEW! DON'T JUST FAVORITE AND FOLLOW! I NEED FEEDBACK! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!**

* * *

Taking his brother's advice, Damian decided to spend some more time with Colin. It wasn't hard, since Damian was frequently locked out of patrols with his father, for some reason or another, so he just used that time of night to slip out and go down to the orphanage.

It was a Monday night when Damian met up with Colin again; their first reunion since Damian had given him his cycle.

"Good to see you," said Colin, practically tripping over his oversized trench coat.

"You, too."

"Have you been tracking any criminals you need my help with?" asked Colin, as they made it to his secret garage and mounted his cycle together.

"No. I just thought it'd be fun to team up again," said Robin. "Have you been keeping tabs on anyone or anything?"

"No," said Colin. "But I sneak out every night and see what I can do. Usually it's just a purse-snatching or busting up a drug deal." The redhead revved the engine, and drove off, Robin clinging to his billowing trench coat.

The pair drove around for about half an hour, not spotting any signs of trouble. It was getting to be about 1 AM when Colin steered his cycle into the parking lot of a convenience store.

"Want a Slurpee?" he asked, dismounting.

"I can't go in there dressed like this!" Damian gestured to his costume. "But yeah, get me a small Coke Slurpee. Thanks."

Colin, still dragging his coat behind him, cheerfully entered the store, and walked over to the back, where the Slurpee machine was.

Just as he was about to reach for a cup, Colin noticed a man in a black sweatshirt jacket and baggy jeans beside him. He didn't look, but he could still detect movement out of the corner of his eye. The man grabbed a few boxes of Ritz crackers, and unzipped his jacket, stuffing each box under either armpit, and then zipped it up again.

Colin figured the man would be caught before he even made it to the door- no sense making a scene. However, the man bolted out the door, and the shopkeeper yelled after him "HEY! HEY! GET BACK HERE! …fucking hell," he grumbled, calling the police.

Colin forgot about the Slurpees and ran back outside after the man. Robin had already hopped into the front seat of the cycle, and was starting the engine.

"He went North! Come on!"

"Can I drive?" Colin asked, rhetorically.

"We're going to get that asshole!" Robin declared, turning a corner sharply, almost tipping the cycle over.

"Hey! Watch it!" cried Colin, hanging onto his friend. "Slow down! We don't even need to catch him!"

"Why not? He's a thief!" said Robin.

"Yeah, but he only stole food! Two boxes of crackers, no big deal."

"That's not the point- it's the principle. Are you a good guy or not?" Robin challenged.

"STOP IT! I MEAN IT!" cried Colin, clasping his hands over Robin's eyes so the young vigilante would have to stop.

"AGH! WHAT THE HELL?!" screamed Robin, slamming the brakes. The cycle screeched and skidded sideways before stopping suddenly and almost throwing the duo off. The man they had been pursuing was already climbing a fire escape to evade them. "That was NOT cool!" Robin snarled, firing a tether and launching himself straight up the building.

"Leave me alone, man!" pleaded the man. "It's not what you think. I barely made the rent this month. I just need some food to get me through the week 'til my next paycheck."

"Go to a soup kitchen, then," yelled Robin. "The store has to pay for what it didn't sell. You think you're not hurting anyone just because it's-"

"Robin, let him go!" yelled Abuse, climbing up over the top of the building like Quasimodo over Notre Dame.

"Abuse, if you're not on the right side of the law, you're on the wrong side," said Robin, stoically trying to emulate his father (or what he thought his father would do).

"Just stand down, Robin," said Abuse.

Damian had never been spoken to like that by one of his peers. He'd never _had_ a peer. Having the boy he liked suddenly scold and talk down to him made him feel instantly insecure and embarrassed. He almost felt like he was going to cry. But that feeling didn't last long.

"Fine," he said to the man. "But you'd better make it last." The man quickly scuttled away, back down another fire escape and back to his apartment.

"What was that all about?" said Robin, trying to regain his dominance in the friendship as Abuse shrank back down into the young boy he was.

"Stealing is wrong," said Colin. "But he wasn't hurting anyone. He didn't hold up the store with a gun or anything. The poor man just needs something to eat."

"Is this the Catholic "turn-the-other-cheek" approach you've been taught by those nuns?" Damian sneered.

"I'm not Catholic, Damian. I just live in a Catholic orphanage," said Colin, narrowing his eyes. "And no one had to teach me these principles. I arrived at them on my own, you know."

"Tt." said Damian, turning away.

"You know, according to Catholics, suicide is also a sin," said Colin.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"If a person is starving to death, and the only way they can live is to steal some food, would REFUSING to steal that food be like choosing death? And therefore, suicide?" asked Colin.

"I see a crime being committed, I act," Damian huffed proudly.

"But it's not so black-and-white," said Colin. "And as for being Catholic, which I'm not, they believe in some pretty weird stuff to. Stuff that I don't necessarily believe in."

"Like what?" Damian asked as he and Colin climbed down the fire escape and got back on the cycle.

"Well, like, gay people for instance," said Colin. Damian's heart jumped at that.

"What about them?"

"The Catholic Church says being gay is wrong, but I don't see anything wrong with it. They're not hurting anyone, are they?"

"No," said Damian, still amazed by the extraordinary coincidence that the very subject was brought up.

"Right. People can't help who they're attracted to, so how can it be a sin if it's the way they were born?"

" _It's actually 'whom,'"_ muttered Damian.

"What?"

"'WHOM' they're attracted to. Sorry,"

"Whatever. So anyway, I don't believe everything they teach us at the orphanage."

Damian was silent as they drove back to the garage. He was content just to be holding onto his friend whom he had a crush on. However, now that he realized he felt this way, Damian suddenly felt even more of a need to feel superior to him. As if everything Colin knew about, Damian wanted to know more. Whatever Colin could do, Damian wanted to make sure he could keep up. Even having intelligent opinions, Damian wanted his to be as good as or better than Colin's. He'd never felt that strangely competitive with someone his own age before.

* * *

"Drake?" Damian called. "Can I talk to you?" Upon entering his brother's room, Damian suddenly realized he'd been calling to no one. _"Oh. He's not here,"_ he mumbled. Turning to leave, he was startled to come face-to-face with Tim in the doorway. "GYAH!" he cried.

"YAHH!" Tim echoed. _"Sorry,"_ he added with a laugh. "What's the matter?"

"Something weird is going on," said Damian, sitting down on Tim's bed. "You know how I like Colin? Well, lately I feel like I hate him."

"How do you mean?" asked Tim.

"The other night we were chasing down this criminal, and the guy had stolen a few boxes of crackers, and I wanted to take him out, but Colin said we should look the other way, because all he was stealing was food."

"Yeah? And?"

"Well, I was trying to explain how criminals are WRONG. It's WRONG to steal, and therefore it's WRONG to let people who steal, GO. But he was like "it's not so black-and-white" and…like, we didn't get in a _fight_ , exactly, but while it was happening I felt…mad at him. And I mean, I know he's entitled to his opinion and all, but I still wanted to be right. I always want to be right, but still. It felt weird, considering I was so happy to just be hanging out with him."

"That's kinda how liking someone works, actually," said Tim. "You naturally feel a little competitive with them. You like and respect them, but you're constantly worried that maybe they don't respect you. Or, you have to constantly prove yourself worthy to them. Because if you feel inferior, then they have all the power in the relationship. It works that way with friends, too. But of course, when it's someone you like, you feel it even more strongly."

"I don't want to feel competitive with him," said Damian. "I just want to feel…they way I feel…and have him feel the same way."

"I know. But what you're experiencing, this…competitive…battle of righteousness…it's natural. It's totally normal in relationships. The constant feel of insecurity, the need to…like… _keep up with him_ , if you know what I mean?" Tim explained.

"Yeah. I know, I get it…" muttered Damian, trailing off with a sigh. "Whatever." The two were silent for a few more seconds before Damian had the matter all sorted out in his own head. "I just…never felt that way before. About anyone."

"I'm pretty sure you've felt self-righteous over people before, D," said Tim.

"Yeah, but not with someone I actually felt was my equal," said Damian.

"So what am I? What're Dick and Bruce? What are we? Your inferiors?"

"That's not what I meant- arrghhh!"

"Ha ha ha!" chuckled Tim. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry- I know what you're trying to say. You've never had a legitimate crush on anyone before, and all these feelings are new to you and…"

"Yeah. Yeah," said Damian. "Exactly."

"Well, the good news is, if Colin likes you too, even if he only likes you as a friend, he probably is feeling all the same things you are. All the competitiveness and insecurity and stuff," Tim said encouragingly.

"I hope so," said Damian. "I don't hope he feels _bad_ , but I hope he's not having all the fun in this friendship."

"The more time you spend with him, the more comfortable you'll both get. Sharing your opinions and ideals and principles, too."

"He actually told me he's not Catholic," said Damian. "Despite the fact that the orphanage is Catholic."

"Well, orphans don't get to pick and choose the orphanages they end up at," said Tim.

"Yeah, I know, but you'd think he'd just accept what they teach him there," said Damian.

"Would you want him to? Would you have any respect for him if he just blindly followed the teachings just because that's his environment?"

"Hell, no!" said Damian. "Speaking of rejecting the Church's teachings, he actually mentioned that he doesn't think homosexuality is a sin."

"Really? Did he bring that up unprovoked?"

"Kind-of," said Damian. "We weren't on the subject or anything, he just used that as an example of things that the Church believes that _he_ doesn't."

Tim smiled slowly and looked up out of the corner of his eyes, as if he was putting together a puzzle in his head.

"That's kinda…oddly convenient, isn't it? That THAT'S the example he used?"

"You think he might be gay, too?" asked Damian.

"I'm certainly entertaining that idea," said Tim. "And I'm honestly hoping he is. But if not, at least you know he won't reject _you_ for being gay."

"Good point," said Damian, nodding. The two brothers were quiet again for a moment. "Uh, thanks again. For listening."

"No problem. I'm, I mean, this is going to sound weird, but I'm rooting for you, actually, Damian. I…honestly hope that this kid likes you, too."

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 02  
Please review, thanks.


	3. Chapter 03

**Life and Love: Chapter 03**

Chikorita-Trainer1

T

Disclaimer: I don't own Batman.

* * *

After having talked with Tim about his new competitive feelings, Damian had had time to think things over and accept his brother's explanation that he was only feeling this way _because_ he liked Colin so much. It made sense.

Damian thought about telling his father that he was gay. He played a few scenarios in his head, and he really couldn't imagine his father reacting negatively, but his adrenaline surged and his body broke out in a cold sweat whenever he envisioned it. He took that as a sign that he wasn't ready to tell him yet.

 _If I can't even THINK about it without freaking out, then I'm certainly not ready to do it in real life,_ he thought.

Most of the time, though, when Damian was left alone with his thoughts, they weren't about figuring out how to admit his orientation to his father, they were about Colin.

Damian spent nearly all his time fantasizing and coming up with adventures the two of them could have together. When he'd wander around Wayne Manor, exploring different rooms and examining books on library shelves, he imagined how he'd tour Colin around if he ever came over. He imagined sharing his favorite books with the redhead, and watching movies together. He imagined holding hands, and even just sitting quietly, side-by-side, enjoying each other's company.

When he was out on patrol with Batman, he would imagine teaming up with Abuse, taking down criminals and then stealing away into the night, scrambling up rooftops, maybe even creating their own little secret lair, where they could hang out and do whatever they wanted.

Damian's fantasies and daydreams were simple and innocently romantic. At first the thoughts scared him, but the more he thought about them, the happier they made him. Damian had never had a fantasy world to escape into before. His whole life up to then had been life-and-death situations, rules and defiance, crime and punishment. He had never had something carefree and enjoyable to look forward to or occupy his otherwise violent thoughts with.

Friday of that week, Bruce once again locked his son out of patrol, and Damian didn't object.

"Damian, I'm going out. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to exclude you again. There's a child molester out there; I don't want you anywhere near him," said Bruce.

Damian was sitting on the floor of the cave, petting Titus, who was lying on his side. "OK, Father," he said. "Good luck."

"Thank you, son," said Bruce, as he pulled on his cowl and hopped into the Batmobile.

After about an hour, waiting for Alfred to stop bothering to pay attention, Damian snuck out and made his way down to St. Aden's. He used his communicator to activate a beacon on Colin's cycle, which emitted a signal to a chip in one of Abuse's brass knuckles, letting him know that Robin was waiting for him.

"Hey," said Colin, as he entered the garage.

"What's up?" asked Robin.

"Nothing much. You?"

"Batman is out hunting a child molester. He wouldn't let me come with, so I thought I'd come see you."

"Does he know you're gone?" asked Colin.

"Um, possibly. What do you care?" Robin inquired defensively.

"I don't know. I just don't want you to get in trouble."

"Don't worry about that," said Robin. "Let's go out and find some assholes to kick the shit out of."

"Sounds good to me!" said Colin, allowing the Venom to course through his system, bulking him up into Abuse. The two young heroes mounted the cycle and drove off into the seedy, crime-ridden streets of Gotham.

This night, the duo didn't have to look far for trouble. Within the first ten minutes of their patrol they came across a mugging.

"STOP IT! HELP! POLICE!" cried a woman. Abuse turned the cycle sharply around a corner down an alley, towards the shrill voice. A man in baggy jeans and a dark gray parka had just shoved his victim to the ground, and was making off with her purse.

"You help her, I'll get him!" yelled Abuse, jumping off the cycle and dashing after the man, who was now shoving garbage cans over to try and obscure his pursuer's path.

"The hell you will!" said Robin, ignoring the poor woman who was picking herself up off the ground. He hurled a Birdarang at their target, and it stuck in the man's upper back.

"AAAAGHHHH!" cried the man, collapsing suddenly.

"Asshole!" snarled Robin, leaping up and landing with his bony little feet on the man's neck. "You feel like a big man? Robbing helpless women to feed your pathetic addiction?!" Robin, of course, was just assuming the man was stealing to pay for drugs; he obviously didn't know for sure. But accusing the criminal of such a thing made him feel superior.

"Robin, just get the purse and let's help the lady!" yelled Abuse. Robin got the purse up off the ground, and hopped off of the man, who was lying face-down in the alley.

"Thank you," shuddered the woman as they handed her her purse back.

"Try not to walk these alleys alone if you can help it, ma'am," said Abuse. "We can't be everywhere at once."

"Hey, he's getting away!" Robin declared, noticing the man had staggered up and was now running down a narrow gangway.

"Let's go!" yelled Abuse. The two boys arrived at the gangway at the exact same moment, and both tried to squeeze down it, inevitably getting themselves wedged together between the walls.

"Ugh! I'm stuck!" grunted Robin.

"Me too!" huffed Abuse.

"Argh! He's getting away! Shrink down!" Robin ordered.

"I…can't!" Abuse gasped. "Ugh! Can't you…like…slither out? You're skinnier than I am!"

Robin and Abuse were stuck, chest-to-chest, in between the walls of two low-rent apartment buildings. Since Abuse was taller than Robin, Robin was suspended, his feet dangling, while his face was pressed up close to his friend's.

" _Hang on…hang on…hang on…I think I can…ghhhhhh!"_ Abuse struggled, and finally began to slowly shrink.

" _C-Colin…!"_ Damian grunted, trying to wiggle free from their predicament. It wasn't the fact that the assailant had escaped that was bothering him anymore; it was how close he was to the boy he had a crush on. Damian's heart was beating uncontrollably, and was pressed right up against Colin's chest, and he was certain the other boy could feel it. Not to mention that their faces were so close that if one of them turned their head slightly, their lips might brush together.

This was the most awkward and romantically excited Damian had ever felt, and while it was exhilarating, it was also terrifying.

Finally, Abuse managed to gain control over the Venom in his body once again, and began to shrink back down into the ten-year-old boy he was.

"Oof!" cried Damian, as he was suddenly dislodged from being smashed up against the brick wall, and landed on his feet.

"Oy," sighed Colin. "Sorry about that."

"Heh, it was kinda stupid," muttered Robin. Then the two boys began to laugh.

"He got away. I'm sorry," said Colin. "I know how important it is for you to catch and punish the bad guys."

"It's OK. That woman is safe for now," Damian admitted. He smiled, and looked into Colin's hazel eyes, admiring how beady and wild they looked as the redhead was catching his breath. Exciting, passionate, attractive.

Colin stared back, though he couldn't focus on Damian's eyes, as they were obscured by the domino mask.

"Um, can we go somewhere and talk?" said Colin. Damian's heart fluttered a bit.

"Yeah, let's go."

The two boys drove the cycle down to an even poorer neighborhood, one with boarded up businesses and empty lots that were now overgrown with weeds. Upon arriving at a lot that was surrounded by a chain-link fence, Colin slowed the cycle and hopped off.

"Just a sec," he said, enlarging his fist so that he could crush the padlock on the fence and open the gate. "Come on."

Damian followed his friend in and they sat down on some cinderblocks that were scattered among the weeds.

"What'd you want to talk about?" asked the Wayne heir.

"I just wanted to clear something up," said Colin. "The other night, when I said how I don't believe being gay is a sin."

"Yeah?"

"Well, the reason I brought it up, is because I wanted to know your feelings on it, too. Because this might seriously affect our friendship."

Damian gulped and his ankles began to shake. If he hadn't been sitting down, it would have been painfully obvious, and his knees probably would have begun to quiver.

"Why? What do you mean?" he asked nervously.

"I needed to make sure _you_ don't think being gay is a sin, because if you do, we can't be friends anymore."

"I don't think it is," said Damian. "I'm fine with homosexuality."

"Good. Because if you were homophobic, I mean, that's something I feel very strongly about, and if you were homophobic I couldn't be your friend," said Colin.

"Well, I'm not. So yeah, we can still be friends," said Damian.

"Good!" sighed Colin. "Because, um, there's actually someone I like. And it's a boy."

A wave of cold sweat suddenly washed over Damian; the same feeling he got when he imagined admitting to his father that he was gay. It was a strange, chilling sweat that made him feel both alive and faint. He couldn't believe what he was hearing; he really couldn't.

"I'm OK with that," said Damian. "Whoever you like, it doesn't offend me."

The boys were silent for a few seconds.

"So who's the boy? What's his name?" asked Damian. Colin blushed and looked down.

"I…I can't tell you yet," he said with a grin. "I mean, I will, eventually. But I don't think I can tell you yet. It's new, it's very NEW. I haven't liked him for very long, so I want to wait a while before I say who it is."

Damian was blushing as well.

"OK. However long you need to wait is fine with me."

"I'll tell you someday," said Colin. "You're my best friend."

"You're my best friend," said Damian. "You're actually my only friend. My only friend _my age,_ anyway."

"Where do you go to school?" asked Colin, suddenly realizing that they'd never discussed that before.

"I don't. I'm home-schooled," said Damian. "My upbringing is…well, it's kind-of a long story."

"What do you mean?" asked Colin.

So Damian told him.

* * *

"Wow," said Colin. "That's hella stressful."

"Yeah, my mom is a stone-cold bitch, and my dad is Batman," said Damian. "But I'm happy. I'm where I want to be, and I'm doing what I want to do."

"So are you going to be Batman when you grow up?" asked Colin.

"I don't know," said Damian. "I want to be, but I'm last in line. My brothers will take up the mantle before I have a chance."

"You're lucky," said Colin. "I always wanted a big brother. And you have two, and they're both so cool!"

"You don't know them," said Damian. "Grayson is fine, Drake is…well…he's…" Damian trailed off, wanting to insult his older sibling, but was finding it difficult, since Tim had been so helpful and sympathetic recently.

"There's no one I can talk to about the boy I like," said Colin. "The nuns wouldn't approve. And even if they did, I mean, they're all old ladies!"

"Holy shit, what time is it?!" Damian cried suddenly.

"Oh my gosh!" Colin gasped. Damian quickly pulled out his phone.

"It's almost 5! We've got to get you back to the orphanage!"

"I'll drive!" said Colin as they dashed out of the lot and got back on the cycle.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to keep you out here all night!" Colin apologized as they sped away down the street. "It's just that when I'm with you-" he began, suddenly stopping himself.

"What?"

"Nothing!"

Back at the garage, Colin hurriedly stuffed his brass knuckles and fedora into the pockets of his trench coat. "Oh man, usually I sneak in the front door, but the sun's going to come up soon! Someone'll see me!"

"Which window is closest to your room?" asked Damian, eyeing the fire escape.

"Uh, it's right around…up there," said Colin, pointing towards a row of windows.

"OK, hold onto me," said Damian, getting ready to fire a grappling hook. Colin hesitated, and then slowly wrapped his arms around Damian's waist. Damian wrapped one arm around Colin's waist, his heart nearly bursting out of his chest as he did so. "Ready?" Colin nodded and squeezed his eyes shit as the two boys were pulled upward.

After gracefully landing on the fire escape, Colin sighed, relieved that they hadn't made a sound.

" _Thanks, D,"_ he said softly. He reached his arms up over Damian's shoulders, and Damian flinched, before smiling and realizing that Colin only meant to give him a hug. So Damian slowly and carefully wrapped his arms around the redhead's waist, and they two boys leaned into each other.

" _Uh, goodnight, or morning, or whatever,"_ Damian whispered.

" _Yeah,"_ laughed Colin. _"Um, see ya."_

" _Bye,"_ and Colin carefully climbed into his bedroom window.

Exhilarated and spent, Damian just stood out there, breathing heavily and smiling. Unfortunately, his communicator went off, interrupting his state of bliss.

" _Robin, where the hell have you been?!"_ came Batman's voice.

"Uh…I'll be home in a few minutes, Batman," he answered nervously. _Shit, shit, SHIT!_ he thought.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 03

Please review, thanks.


	4. Chapter 04

**Life and Love: Chapter 04**

Chikorita-Trainer1

T

Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
 **  
Author's Note:** Bruce might seem a tad harsh in this chapter. Just know, I modeled his anger off of my own father's. I love my dad, of course, but sometimes he loses his temper and can be unreasonably cruel. So, I'm writing from experience, just so y'all know.

* * *

Knowing he was in for it, Damian reluctantly returned home and arrived in the Batcave to greet his father, who could not have looked more pissed off if he tried.

"Father, I can explain," Damian began, although immediately regretting having started his sentence with that, because he really wasn't ready to explain everything he'd been going through.

"I don't need explanations, I need you to understand something!" Bruce yelled. "I need you to understand that when you put yourself in danger, you put the whole city in danger!"

Damian gulped, intimidated, but also anticipating that his father was going to bring up his history as an assassin. He was prepared to fight, if that's what it came to.

"Damian, I need to know that you're safe. When I say you can't go out because there is a CHILD MOLESTER out there, I need you to STAY INSIDE! If I don't know you're safe, I can't do my job. I can't focus on the mission, I can't effectively protect this city. Before I can make sure the citizens of Gotham are safe, I need to make sure MY SON IS SAFE. You continue to make my life… _so difficult…_ I just don't know what to do sometimes."

Damian's heart clenched in his chest; his father had never said anything that cutting before.

"So I'm a burden?" he asked. Bruce's eyes narrowed.

"Don't try to put this on me," he said. "Don't try to turn this around and make it about you not feeling appreciated or…about…me not showing you I care in the right way. You know I love you, you know I would do anything for you, and you know damn well I don't consider you a burden."

Damian looked down. Clearly his father wasn't going to allow Damian's attitude and argumentative skills to twist the situation around. Damian knew he'd misbehaved, and he wasn't going to try to get out of it.

He knew only one thing would clear the room of anger and replace it with understanding, and that would be his coming out. But he just wasn't ready to do that.

"Can you just ground me, or send me to my room or something?" he groaned.

"No. I'm not letting you off the hook that easily!" Bruce growled and rose up from his chair.

"I'm sorry, Father. I don't like it when you shut me out-"

"I did NOT shut you out! I told you exactly why I didn't want you out there. I can sympathize with you when you get angry when I don't tell you who we're facing, but that wasn't the case tonight. Do you realize the threat of a CHILD MOLESTER? Do you even know what that means?!"

"Yes, I know what it means to be molested, Father," Damian's voice cracked, and he knew he was about to cry. He lifted his hand up to cover his eyes as he turned away. "Can we please do this once you've calmed down?"

"NO! I DON'T HAVE TO CALM DOWN! I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE ANGRY WITH YOU!" Bruce bellowed. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE I CAN DO TO GET YOU TO OBEY ME! I certainly can't imprison you in this house, because you're an escape artist! I can't threaten to take Robin away from you, because I already know that won't stop you. YELLING AT YOU IS THE ONLY CARD I HAVE LEFT TO PLAY! BUT IT STILL DOESN'T SEEM TO BE SINKING IN!"

Damian sniffed, and blinked back tears, trying to hold his ground. But Bruce wasn't through with him yet.

"But you wouldn't know anything about what I go through, would you?" he sighed, condescendingly. "No, you don't know what it's like to _care_ for another person. You've never experienced an inexplicable amount of love for another human being so strong that you don't even fully understand it. So why do I expect you to get it?"

Damian couldn't take it anymore. He was already in tears. He pushed past his father and ran out of the Cave, whimpering.

Bruce just stood with his arms out at his sides, as if saying "what the fuck?" to nobody in particular.

Alfred waited a moment and then stepped out from the shadows.

"Not your finest hour, Master Bruce," he stated.

"That child is impossible!" Bruce declared. "What does he not get? Why does he keep doing the opposite of what I say? What do I have to do- tell him to GO OUT THERE and fight, just so he deliberately DOESN'T? Is that the only way to keep him safe?"

"What you have to do is calm down, Master Bruce," Alfred insisted, offering Bruce a cup of tea from a tray. The Batman sipped it and sat down.

"I'm fearing those days more and more," said Bruce. "Those days when he becomes a teenager, and starts yelling "I HATE YOU!" and slams his bedroom door. I'm really not looking forward to that."

"Then tell him so, Master Bruce," said Alfred. "Master Damian constantly cries out not only for your approval, but for your concern. But you only show that concern through aggression and overprotection. Perhaps if you showed a general interest in your son's life, he wouldn't have to sneak around just to find something productive to do."

Bruce only responded with a defeated grumble under his breath, and sipped some more tea.

Damian was lying on his bed in the dark, listening to his iPod when Bruce found him.

"Damian?" he said softly. Damian didn't hear him, but he saw the door opening, and promptly sat up and removed his headphones.

"What?" he growled.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," said Bruce. "I hate it when I don't know where you are, OK? I hate…not knowing. I know I'm coming off as a control freak, but it's not the same thing. I don't want to micromanage every little thing in your life, but I do want to know I have enough of your respect to trust you to keep yourself safe when I'm not around."

"Leave me alone."

"I'm sorry, Damian. I admit it, I was wrong to react that way-"

"You basically said I'm incapable of love. That IS what you said," Damian spat, bitterly.

"No, I didn't mean-"

"You have no idea what I feel, Father. You have NO IDEA what's important to me and how great my capacity for love is."

"Then _tell me_ , son. Please. _Let me in_ ," Bruce begged.

"JUST GO AWAY!" screamed the ten-year-old.

Bruce did as he was told.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 04

Please review, thanks.


	5. Chapter 05

**Life and Love: Chapter 05**

Chikorita-Trainer1

T

Disclaimer: I don't own Batman.

* * *

Bruce stood outside his son's room, turned and leaned against the wall and looked down. Tim approached him quietly.

"It'll be OK," he said softly, giving his adoptive father a gentle hug. Bruce embraced the seventeen-year-old.

" _You're the good one, Timmy,"_ he sighed. _"Never giving me any grief, never causing trouble, never endangering yourself or others."_

"He's not as bad as he seems," said Tim, as the two of them walked down the hall away from Damian's room so he wouldn't hear them talking about him. "He's just afraid."

"I never wanted him to fear me," said Bruce. "Only to respect me. I know the two can overlap sometimes, but-"

"I know," said Tim. "Sometimes I think the only way to get his respect is to beat it out of him. Or destroy him with words. Words we might regret later."

"I don't want to do that, either," said Bruce. "I want him to talk to me."

"I just realized something," Tim laughed. "I think, part of the reason you don't understand why he doesn't always come to you with his problems, is because you didn't have parents to go to when _you_ were having problems. So you don't really know what it's like to feel hesitant to like, bring certain issues to light."

"Hmm. I never thought about it like that, but you may be right," said Bruce. "I did have Alfred, though."

"Still not your mom and dad. Still not the same relationship," said Tim.

"Yeah."

The two were silent again for a moment before Bruce looked back over his shoulder to make sure Damian hadn't come out of his room to spy on them.

"I know he's been talking to you," said Bruce. "I'm not going to ask what about, since he obviously doesn't want me to know, and I will respect his privacy. I just know he's been going into your room late at night and talking with you."

"Mm-hmm," Tim said with a nod.

"Whatever you're doing to help him…thank you. That's all I wanted to say." Tim smiled and nodded again.

"Just...uh…just be patient. That's all I can say," said Tim.

"OK," said Bruce. "Well, I'm going to get some sleep. Have a good night."

"You, too," said Tim.

* * *

The next night, Bruce took Damian out on patrol with him and they had no problems. Bruce was consciously being more sensitive to Damian, and Damian was consciously trying not to antagonize his father.

When they got back to the Manor, Damian sought out Tim's council once more. They sat in Tim's room and talked.

"I think Colin likes me, too," said Damian, blushing.

"Oh yeah?" Tim said with a smile.

"Yeah, we were hanging out the other night, and he told me that he liked someone, and that it was a boy."

Tim's eyes widened at the news.

"Alright! That's awesome!" he said.

"But I don't know _for sure_ ," said Damian. "I don't want to get my hopes up. Maybe he likes another kid in his class, and just told me because he wanted to share it with me because we're friends."

"How good of friends is he with the other kids at the orphanage?" asked Tim. Damian shrugged.

"I don't know, I never asked him. But the times I've gone over there to see him, he's usually by himself in the play-lot. Just sitting back, not playing with them."

"I see," said Tim.

"Plus, when I asked who it was that he liked, he said he couldn't tell me right away. He said he will someday, because I'm his best friend, but he said it's too NEW to reveal right now. Whatever that means."

"Aw, that's cute," said Tim.

"Shut up!" grumbled Damian, throwing a pillow at Tim.

"What? I'm on your side, dumbass!" Tim argued back, playfully.

"Yeah, but saying it's 'cute' or whatever isn't helping. It's embarrassing!"

"Sorry," said Tim. "But it _is_ cute." Damian just answered with a grumble in his throat. "Well, let's say he does like you," said Tim. "Do you plan to tell him that you like him? Or are you going to wait until he tells you?"

"I don't know," said Damian. "I want to. Even if it turns out he doesn't like me, I'd like to know sooner rather than later. But I'm not sure. It might blow up in my face. Could ruin our whole friendship."

"Have you thought about telling your dad?" Tim asked. "He's worried about you. How distant you've been and how…not forthcoming you are with things that are on your mind."

Damian sighed and looked down.

"I don't want to tell him if there's nothing to tell," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"What's the point of telling him I'm gay if I don't have a boyfriend or whatever? Why tell him if there's nothing THERE? Like, if it turns out that Colin likes me too, THEN I'll tell him. But I don't want to bring this out into the open if it's all for nothing."

"OK, I understand," said Tim. "But the longer you wait, the harder it's going to be for him. Unless you can somehow deal with this and stop being so weird around him. 'cause it IS hurting him."

" _I know!"_ Damian whined. "But he's a grown-ass man. He can handle it!"

Tim rolled his eyes.

"You can't put all the responsibility on him, you know," he said. "You have to meet him halfway. You can't expect him to always give YOU space if you don't let him know that you're OK. He's your dad and he deserves to know what's going on in your life."

"Whatever," grumbled Damian. The young Robin got up to leave, but before exiting the room, he stopped and said "Thanks for the talk."

"Anytime," said Tim.

* * *

The next day, Bruce had to go down to the office to go over some things, so Damian was free to do whatever. He knew he couldn't just hop on his motorcycle out-of-costume and drive down to the orphanage, and he couldn't walk there, either.

"Pennyworth?" he asked.

"Yes, Master Damian?"

"Can you please drive me down to St. Aden's Orphanage? I'd like to visit a friend."

"It would be my pleasure, Master Damian. I was unaware you had any friends your own age in this city." The way Alfred had said that, it almost sounded like he pitied the boy, but Damian was too busy thinking up alibis and the like to even notice.

As they got in the car, Damian said "Um, I don't want to attract a big scene, showing up in a fancy car with a chauffer. So could you drop me off maybe a block away? And wait for me?"

"Certainly, Master Damian," said Alfred. Damian sighed, relieved that the butler didn't ask him any follow-up questions.

The ride was about fifteen minutes, and the whole time, the butler did not probe the child for answers or conversation. That was the nice thing about Alfred- he respected privacy and boundaries. He was never invasive or prying, even when he cared.

"Shall I drop you off at this next corner, Master Damian?" he asked.

"Yeah, this is fine. Thanks. I'll be back in about ten minutes or so," said Damian, getting out of the car.

"Very good, sir."

Damian walked up to the play-lot at St. Aden's where a bunch of the kids were playing four-square, soccer, jumping rope and drawing on the asphalt with chalk. He approached the bars and looked around for his red-headed friend, but he was nowhere to be seen.

The children all seemed so happy, just goofing around and playing pointless games. Damian imagined that if he were part of this group of kids, he'd probably be with the ones who were drawing with chalk, since he was so artistic.

"May I help you?" asked a young nun.

"Uh, I'm just looking for, uh, Colin?" he said.

"Who are you? How do you know him?" asked the nun.

"Um, once I was walking around over here, and I just like, started talking to him through the fence…" Damian made up his story on the spot, mentally kicking himself for not preparing this earlier.

"What's your name?" asked the nun.

"Damian," he answered.

"Well, Colin's doing penance for cursing in class," said the nun. "He's sweeping the chapel and then he has to clean off all the lunch tables."

Damian smiled to the nun, and acted like he was disappointed, but he knew what he was doing.

"Well, thanks anyway," he said. "I'll come by another day." And walked away.

Walking until he was sure the nun was no longer watching, Damian merely slipped around the corner and walked right into the front doors of the church. He looked around the massive, empty room, marveling at how majestic it looked when the beams of sunlight shone through the stained-glass windows, and how one could see all the little dust particles in the light. Then he saw Colin, who had been bending over to sweep some crud into a dustpan, stand up in between the pews.

"Hey," he said softly, the echo resounding clearly.

"Oh, hey," said Colin, who laid his broom against the pew and came out into the aisle to see Damian. "What are you doing here?"

"Came to see you," Damian said with a smile. "Got in trouble, huh?"

"Yeah, I said the C-word in class," said Colin. "It's OK, though. I don't really mind doing chores. It gives me time to think."

"What do you think about?" asked Damian.

"Uh, I don't know," said Colin. "Stuff. Movies, books, the world in general, I don't know."

"Well, anyway," said Damian. "I just wanted to know if we can meet up again sometime this week."

"I don't know, my punishment is going to last all week, so I don't know if I'll have time to sneak out."

"What about after bedtime?"

"I might be asleep," said Colin. "Go to school, do my homework, then do chores for the rest of the night, I need to sleep!"

Damian shrugged, trying to mask his embarrassment of not knowing that normal kids usually adhere to a normal sleeping schedule.

"OK. Well, I just wanted to see you. I like spending time with you," he admitted.

"Me, too," said Colin, smiling.

"And, what you said, about liking someone…" Damian began.

"Yeah?"

"…I like someone, too."

Colin smiled, blinked, and looked right into Damian's eyes. Damian stared straight back, and somehow it was like they were reading each other's minds.

"I've got to go," said Damian.

"OK. I'll see you…when I see you," Colin said with a laugh.

"Right. Bye,"

"Bye, Damian!"

As Damian walked back out the church doors, he felt his stomach dance in his abdomen, as if it were trying to tickle him from within. His heart tingled and throbbed so hard he could practically hear it in his ears. His smile stretched across his face as he walked back down the street to meet Alfred.

Damian Wayne was in love. Plain and simple. The boy was in love.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 05  
Please review, thanks.


	6. Chapter 06

**Life and Love: Chapter 06**

Chikorita-Trainer1

T

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: **Sorry for the long wait. I'm really, really bad at writing crime-fighting and action sequences; my skills are more for writing dialogue and emotion. But I needed to have an action-filled chapter, so here it is. Thank you for bearing with me and supporting this story.**

* * *

The next time Damian and Colin met up, it was at Colin's request. He signaled Damian from the beacon in his cycle, and Damian met up with him at midnight.

"What's going on?" asked Robin.

"Have you been watching the news?" asked Abuse, opening the garage door. "In Uptown, there have been some shootings, and the police thought it was just gang-related for a while, but now they're thinking it's drug-related. Supposedly there's like a crack-house or something that people keep getting shot at, or so they think. But no one in the neighborhood will tell the cops anything, so they can't get any leads. And without any leads-"

"They can't get a warrant to search anyplace," Damian concluded. Neither boy was all that knowledgeable of the law and how things like that worked, but they had a rough idea. Plus, it was different in every city.

"So I figured we can just rush the place, grab some drugs and evidence, and turn them into the police. That should give them the boost they need, and then we don't have to be involved anymore," said Abuse, starting his cycle, with Robin clinging to his waist.

"It'd help even more to snag a witness or a dealer," said Robin. "But I understand if you don't want to get too involved."

When the duo got to the decrepit apartment building-turned-crack-house, Abuse pulled his cycle off the road and parked it in the driveway of another boarded-up building. The streetlights in this neighborhood were all out and the city hadn't bothered to repair them, so almost everything was concealed in shadows.

"I'll take the roof, you cover me," said Robin, preparing to fire his tether. "But if I say run, you run. Got it?"

"Got it," said Abuse, pulling his fedora down lower. Robin launched himself up onto the building and looked around the roof for a way in. He couldn't find a hatch that led back down inside, so he climbed into the ventilation shaft.

" _I'm in,"_ he whispered through his communicator.

" _How do you know where you're going?"_ asked Abuse, still waiting on the street.

" _I'll just follow the noise. So from here on out, I run silent. Over and out."_

The little Robin squirmed and slithered around through the metal shaft, with only a tiny flashlight he put in his mouth to guide him. He heard some muffled arguing and smelled what he assumed was cigarette smoke, and followed the shaft to what was once a kitchen, but was now a laboratory.

Peering through the grate, he turned off his flashlight and held back, lest he be seen. There didn't seem to be a whole lot of portable evidence in the room, but he noticed that this one apartment had formerly been two, and that the walls had been knocked down and there were cinderblocks and wires and pipes exposed.

 _If any of these idiots fire a shot at the wrong structural beam, the whole building could come down,_ he thought. _If I'm going to do this, I'd better do it fast._

Unfortunately, there were people around. Drug dealers, distributors and any other personnel in the business. The child couldn't exactly kick the grate out and start taking them out.

Robin looked around the room as best he could from his hiding space, and finally his eyes landed on a stack of small boxes he was sure contained crack or coke. They would have been within reach if he could just open up the grate, reach out and take one box, and then beat it out of there.

"Hey, what the fuck-? WHO IS THAT?! THERE'S SOMEBODY THERE!" yelled the voice of one of the thugs. Somehow, Robin's eyes had just happened to meet with somebody else's, and they were staring right into the vent at him.

"THERE'S SOMEBODY IN THE VENT! GET HIM!" snarled another man. Suddenly, they all opened fire and began shooting relentlessly at the wall and vent. Robin backed up into the vent as best he could, before being able to turn around and scurry back out the way he came.

"Abuse, I could use a little help!" he grunted into his communicator.

"On it!" answered his Venom-powered partner.

"You ain't going nowhere, bitch!" growled a man, who ripped the grate off the wall and reached into the vent, grabbing Robin around the ankle and yanking him back into the room.

"It's the Batman's brat!" yelled another man. "Shit, forget the drugs, we can sell THIS little fucker for a bundle!"

"I think you'd better rethink your business plan," Robin said confidently, before knocking his head back into his captor's face, breaking his nose. Then he leaped up in the air, whirled around, kicking the guns out of the hands of the five more men who were aiming at him.

"I just need my fix and I'll be on my way," Robin joked, reaching into one of the small boxes and taking a zip-lock bag of white powder and tucking it into his utility belt.

"The hell you are!" yelled the lead criminal. He picked up one of the guns off the floor, but before he could start firing, the door to the apartment all but flew off the wall, along with its dozen locks and chains, and flew through the air, smacking the leader in the face and flattening him. Abuse had busted in.

"Perfect timing!" said Robin with a grin.

"Let's go," said Abuse, reaching out his hand, expecting Robin to take it. Unfortunately, another one of the gang members had gotten a hold of a gun, and started firing at the two kids.

"FUCKING HELL! THE DAY I'M BEAT BY A COUPLE OF BITCH-ASS KIDS IS THE DAY I-"

"Then mark your calendar!" roared Abuse, leaping through the air and tackling the shooter around his waist. The two of them stumbled back into the wall, and crashed right through it.

"ABUSE!" screamed Robin, watching his friend tumble out over the hole in the bricks. The criminal fell four stories and crash-landed on the pile of rubble and concrete. Abuse was still holding on.

"Robin, leave me! Get out of there!" the redhead pleaded, knowing that if Damian stuck around to help him, he would surely be shot.

"Never!" cried Robin. He reached down and grabbed Abuse's wrist, and struggled and struggled to pull his hulking friend back from the ledge he was hanging onto. "RRRrrrrnnnghhh!" he grunted. "Shrink down! I can't-"

"NO! LET ME GO! ROBIN!" Abuse couldn't see, but he just knew that the other armed man was coming up behind Robin. "LET…ME…GO!" And with a violent shove, Abuse forced Robin back, causing him to let go of his wrist and stumble backwards.

"NO!" cried Robin as Abuse fell, joining the first criminal on the ground. Unfortunately, as Robin turned around to fight the gunman, he didn't notice that more loose bricks and cinderblocks had become dislodged, and were now plummeting towards his friend, who was already unconscious, four stories below.

Fueled by fear and anger, Robin channeled all his adrenaline into skillfully kicking the shit out of his attacker, leaving the man bloodied and unconscious in the middle of the room. The other men who were working the lab had fled, fearful for their lives.

Panting, Robin hopped from window ledge to window ledge, eventually arriving down to where Abuse had landed.

"Abuse?" he called, shakily. He saw a pile of broken bricks and dust, and the tail of Abuse's trench coat sticking out from under it. "Oh, no."

Robin began furiously removing the bricks and blocks from his friend, hoping he hadn't been completely flattened in the fall.

" _Oh, Colin, please don't be dead. Please, please, please don't be dead!"_ he mumbled, trying his damnedest not to burst into tears.

Finally he cleared away enough of the rubble to get at the body. Abuse had shrunken back down into the little boy he was, and he was bleeding from his head.

" _No, no, no,"_ Robin panicked. He grabbed Colin under the armpits and hauled him up, slowly dragging him away from the crime scene. _"Oh please, please, please,"_ he whimpered.

After dragging him back to where the cycle was parked, Robin removed his mask and turned on his little flashlight, and began examining Colin's injuries.

"Colin, please wake up, please," Damian begged. The child was crying now. He didn't even care- he was so scared he had lost his friend. "Colin, come on! If you have a concussion, you can't pass out! You'll die!"

The redhead remained unresponsive.

A million thoughts raced through Damian's head. Should he call Batman? Should he call an ambulance? And what would he tell the authorities? That he and this other ten-year-old boy attempted to bust up a crack-house and failed miserably and now this orphan was on the verge of bleeding to death from the HEAD?

"COLIN, PLEASE! I NEED YOU! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!" he sobbed, clutching his friend around the upper body and hugging him close. "Please, please wake up!"

" _Ughh…Damian?"_ Colin suddenly said, groggily.

"Oh, my gosh! You're alive!" cried Damian.

" _Uh, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine…I…uhhhhh"_ Colin's eyes rolled back in his head and he slumped over.

"No, no, no! Stay with me! Stay with me! Colin, come on! Stay awake!" Damian pleaded. "Come on, on the cycle!"

Colin gathered his strength and climbed onto the cycle, as Damian mounted it and revved the engine.

"Hold on," he said. Colin grasped Damian and leaned forward onto his back, causing Damian to hunch over as he rode. "I know where to go," said Damian, intending to get to Dr. Leslie's clinic. She would patch them up and not ask questions.

 _I am going to be in SO MUCH TROUBLE,_ thought Damian.

* * *

"How is he?" asked Damian, when Dr. Leslie walked out into the small waiting room.

"He's OK. He doesn't have a concussion, just a deep cut on the back of his head. I've bandaged him, but it's going to be hard to hide his injuries from the nuns when he gets back to the orphanage. You two'd better get your story straight."

"Thank you," Damian sighed. "We won't be anymore trouble to you. Thank you."

"You can see him. He's just resting," said Leslie, gesturing into the room where Colin laid on his back in a hospital bed.

"Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry, this is all my fault," Damian said softly.

"How was it your fault? It was my idea to raid the place," Colin admitted. "By the way, did you-"

"Yeah, I turned over the drugs to the cops. They're probably investigating the house right now," said Damian.

"Oh, good," said Colin. Both boys were silent for a few seconds. Colin looked up at Damian's eyes, which were still red from crying, and suddenly felt his heart sink. "I'm sorry you were so scared. Thank you so much for saving me," he said. Damian climbed onto the bed and hugged his friend.

" _I couldn't live without you, Colin,"_ he whispered.

"Damian…?"

" _I like you,"_ Damian said into Colin's shoulder. _"I like you. As more than just a friend. I need you in my life, Colin. Please don't ever leave me."_

Colin's heart began to pound in his chest, and all he could do was squeeze Damian back.

" _I like you, too,"_ he said softly. _"I'm sorry I made you worry."_

"Wait…what did you say?" Damian asked, suddenly pulling away from Colin. He had been so focused on hugging him he didn't even listen to Colin's answer.

"I like you, too," said Colin. "I always have."

Damian just sighed, closed his eyes, and gently leaned his forehead against Colin's, breathing deeply, and sniffing back tears.

" _Whew. What a night,"_ he whispered.

" _Yeah,"_ Colin agreed.

" _C'mon. I'd better take you home."_

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 06

Please review, thanks.


	7. Chapter 07

**Life and Love: Chapter 07**

Chikorita-Trainer1

T

Disclaimer: I don't own Batman.

 **Author's Note: Thank you for reviewing. I've had this chapter written for like a week, but I refused to post it until I got a couple more reviews for chapter 6. Anyway, thank you all, and here's the "coming out" chapter. I hope it's worth the wait.**

* * *

 _I can't believe this is really happening,_ thought Damian, as he and Colin rode the cycle back to the orphanage. Colin wasn't woozy anymore, so he didn't have to lean over so far to keep his grip on Damian, but he held on tight just the same. Damian almost couldn't concentrate on driving, he was so distracted by the warm arms of the boy he loved wound around his waist.

 _I like him and he likes me back,_ thought Damian. _This is so cool!_

The duo pulled into the garage and got off the bike. Colin was about to walk out the door, when Damian hit a button on the cycle's handle which caused the door to come down. Colin turned around.

"What-?"

"Just a minute," Damian said softly, removing his mask.

"W-what are you doing?" asked a nervous Colin when Damian took off his gloves and delicately began to rearrange strands of his orange hair.

"Got to cover up as much of this bandage as possible," he said softly. "Won't be able to hide the whole thing, but we should conceal the part of it that's wrapped around your head."

"Oh. Right," said Colin, blushing like crazy. "Thanks. I don't know what I'll tell the nuns."

"If they ask, just say you-"

"I'm not saying I walked into a door!" Colin joked.

"I wasn't going to say that," Damian laughed. "I was going to say you rolled out of bed and hit your head on your nightstand."

"I guess that might work," said Colin. Damian was still stroking his hair. "OK, I think you got it."

"Hmm," said Damian, not wanting to stop touching Colin's hair.

"Come on, I've got to get back!" the ginger giggled, playfully shoving Damian away.

"Alright," said Damian, opening the garage door again, and closing it behind them when they got out. "Hold onto me," he said, getting out his grappling hook. Colin grinned and lovingly wrapped his arms around Damian's neck, and Damian grasped Colin's waist. They were up on the fire escape outside of Colin's room in a second.

" _Thank you,"_ whispered Colin _. "So, are we…boyfriend and boyfriend or what?"_

" _Uh, well, what do you think we are?"_ asked Damian, too embarrassed to answer the obvious question.

" _I asked you first,"_ whispered Colin, taking Damian's hand in his own.

" _I asked you second,"_ Damian retorted, smugly.

" _What? That doesn't even make any sense! Damian-"_

" _Alright, we're boyfriend and boyfriend,"_ answered Damian, smiling warmly.

" _Cool. So I'll see you later in the week, maybe?"_

" _Let's hope so. I've got to tell my dad. Can't put it off any longer,"_ said Damian.

" _OK. Well, good luck,"_ Colin said. He instinctively licked his lips to wet them, anticipating a kiss, even though he wasn't sure he was ready for it. For a moment, he could have sworn he saw Damian's eyes flick from Colin's gaze to his lips, but it was hard to tell in the dark.

" _Goodnight,"_ said Damian. He gave his boyfriend one last hug, and then fired his tether onto the nearest tall building, and swung off.

* * *

"Father? I need to tell you something important," Damian said the next evening, as he approached his father in the Batcave. Bruce had his cowl off and was studying various case files on the computer when Damian came in. He turned when he detected the nervous pitch in his son's voice.

"What is it?" he asked. Damian stood up straight, hands at his sides and took a deep breath.

"I…have a…boyfriend."

Bruce's eyebrows shot up, but his eyes didn't widen. He didn't looked shocked, just surprised. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and he glanced away, and then looked back at his son, who was beet red and sweating.

"A boyfriend? Really?" he said cheerfully. Damian nodded. "Um, alright. Who is he?"

"Did you know? You _knew,_ didn't you?" groaned Damian.

"No, I swear, I had no idea, son," said Bruce. "I noticed you've been a little moodier than normal as of late, but, no, I didn't know."

"Anyway, um, he's my age," Damian said, hoping for some reason that that was relevant.

"That's good," said Bruce. "What's his name?"

"Uh, Colin. You saved his life, once," Damian said. "He's the vigilante Abuse. Do you remember him?"

"Vaguely," said Bruce, pulling up the orphan's file. "Oh yeah. I didn't know what he was up to. How did you two meet, anyway?"

"I'll get to that in a- Father- I-" Damian stuttered. _"I'm gay,"_ he finally declared. Bruce chuckled.

"Kind-of a redundant thing to point out, seeing as how you just told me you have a boyfriend."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"How do you…feel…about that?" asked Damian.

Bruce smiled lovingly at his son and held out his arms. "Damian, come here," he said. The child walked over and sat down on his father's lap, and was immediately embraced. "First of all, I'm not homophobic. I certainly hope I never gave you any indication that I was. Second of all, I love you no matter what. If you've found someone you have a connection and enjoy being with, then I support that. OK?"

Damian just nodded.

"I know this was hard for you," said Bruce, resting his chin on Damian's hair. "I'm glad you told me."

"He knows I'm Robin," Damian mentioned. "He figured it out for himself, within like five minutes of us meeting."

"How did you meet?"

"It was when we all thought you were dead," Damian explained. "I was trying to put myself out there to catch Zsazs, and found Colin searching for clues by the river. Then we got ambushed by Zsazs's men, and when I attacked them, he just…like…knew I was Robin."

"So is that what you've been doing when you sneak out at night?" asked Bruce. "Meeting up with him and fighting crime?"

"Some nights," Damian admitted, adjusting himself in his father's lap so that he could lean back against Bruce's arm, and look him in the face. "Some nights we just talk."

"You just sneak him out of the orphanage and sneak him back in?"

"He sneaks himself out," Damian said. "I just meet up with him."

"OK," said Bruce. "Damian, I'm really glad you have someone special in your life. You deserve that."

"Really?" said Damian, with tears in his voice.

"Of course. And I think you ought to invite Colin over for dinner sometime. I'd like to meet him- not as Batman, but as Bruce Wayne. I want him to know he's welcome in our lives."

"I don't know if you can, like, rent kids out from orphanages like library books, Father."

"Good point. Why don't you ask him? Maybe if I talk to the nuns, they'd let him out for a few hours, and he could come over and then we'd bring him back," Bruce suggested.

"I guess I could," said Damian.

"And if it's against policy, I'm sure I could make a _generous donation_ or two, to persuade them."

"Heh, yeah, if there's one thing the Church knows how to do, it's take money," said Damian. Bruce had to stop himself from bursting out with laughter.

"That's true," he chuckled. "So is there anything else you want to talk about?"

"No," said Damian. "I just wanted to get it all out in the open."

"I'm glad you did, son," said Bruce, giving Damian a kiss on the forehead. "Why don't you go get ready for bed? I'll be up shortly."

"OK, Father," said Damian. Smiling, he hopped off of Bruce's lap and went upstairs. Relieved and spent, yet energized with positivity, he knew he was going to be too excited to sleep. "Wait- uh, one more thing!"

"What?"

"Don't tell Grayson. I will tell him when the time is right. Just don't say anything to him. Drake already knows, and, I mean, tell Pennyworth if you want, just not Grayson."

"I won't say a word," said Bruce.

"Thanks."

* * *

Damian was lying on his back on his bed when Bruce came in to say goodnight.

"Did you brush your teeth?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Damian.

"Let me see," said Bruce, leaning down and gripping Damian's chin. Damian flashed is teeth, humoring his father, to show him that they were perfectly clean. "Looks good."

Damian closed his mouth and grinned up at Bruce, who knelt down and started petting his hair.

" _You really like him?"_ he asked softly. Damian nodded.

" _He just gets me."_

" _I can't wait to meet him,"_ said Bruce. _"Goodnight, son. I love you."_

" _Love you, too, Father,"_ said Damian. He squeaked a little in protest as Bruce leaned down and kissed him. The Batman was aiming for his son's forehead, but he misjudged his aim and landed on Damian's eyebrow instead. But Damian didn't care. He had a boyfriend and his father accepted it. What did he have to complain about?

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 07

Please review, thanks.


	8. Chapter 08

**Life and Love: Chapter 08**

Chikorita-Trainer1

T

Disclaimer: I don't own Batman or anything else I make references to.

* * *

"Are you sure they'll let him out?" asked Damian, on the way to the orphanage.

"No, I'm not sure. That's why we're going to ask," said Bruce. "Just let me do all the talking, OK?"

Damian nodded.

Upon arriving at St. Aden's, Bruce Wayne walked in with Damian at his side, and asked to speak to the Mother Superior of the convent. She was a middle-aged woman with glasses, and a gentle smile on her pale face.

"Mr. Wayne?" she said, knowing, as everyone in Gotham did, that Bruce Wayne was a collector of orphans.

"Yes, Mother Superior, thank you for seeing me. I have a question."

"Please come in my office," she said. Bruce and Damian followed her into a room and sat down on a couch across from her desk. "How my I help you?"

"This is my son, Damian," said Bruce. "He's recently found a friend in one of your boys, Colin Wilkes."

"Oh, this is the boy," said the nun. "Yes, Colin mentioned once or twice that he likes to talk with a kid sometimes, when he's out in the play lot."

"Hi," said Damian, raising his hand timidly.

"Damian is home-schooled, and doesn't have any other friends his own age. Having made friends with Colin is really a great thing for him, and so I was wondering if it would be OK to have Colin over to our house sometime? So they could play together for a few hours, have dinner, and then we could bring Colin back," Bruce explained.

"I think that would be fine, Mr. Wayne," said Mother Superior. "Are you interested in adopting Colin?"

"No, I'm afraid not," chuckled Bruce. "Between Damian and his older brothers, I've gotten my fill of orphans for this lifetime."

"Well, I will speak to Colin's teacher. As long as he finishes his homework and chores before he goes over to visit, it should be fine."

"Thank you very much, Mother," said Bruce, standing up and shaking her hand. "Damian, does that sound good to you?"

"Mm-hmm," said Damian, trying to come off as a shy, sheltered child.

"And what do you say?" Bruce asked sternly.

"Thank you," said Damian. The nun smiled and said,

"Well, Damian, Colin should be out in the play lot with the others. Why don't you go ask him if he wants to come over to your house?"

"OK," said Damian, scampering off to find his friend.

"If you'll allow me, I'd like to make a donation, while I'm here," said Bruce, taking out his checkbook.

* * *

Friday night of that week, the arrangements had been made, and Alfred drove down to the orphanage, with Damian, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, to pick up Colin. He was to be back no later than 9 o'clock, which left the children with plenty of time to spend together.

Colin didn't have any nice clothes to wear, so he wore a light brown, oversized, button-up shirt with sleeves way too long for him. He knew his boyfriend didn't care, but he still felt a little inferior to Damian, who was in his most elegant-looking black turtleneck and skinny jeans.

"Hi," he said to Damian as he got into the backseat, Alfred shutting the car door behind him.

"Hey," said Damian, smiling and blushing. Colin grinned with delight as he put on his seatbelt and they made their way to Wayne Manor.

"Thanks for having me over," said Colin.

"No problem," said Damian. "My dad wanted to meet you, and, uh, it'll be nice to spend some time with you, out-of-costume, y'know…"

"Yeah," said Colin.

"What do you want to do when we get to my house? Play video games? Watch a movie?"

"Uh, whatever you want to do is fine," said Colin. The average person might have interpreted that as a shy boy's neutral response, but Colin meant it; he really didn't care what they did together, as long as he was with the boy he loved.

Damian just took Colin's hand in his, and they sat in awkward silence in the back seat until they got to the Manor.

* * *

"Hey, Titus!" said Damian, as the two boys and one butler entered the house. The Great Dane sauntered up to the guest and began sniffing him curiously.

"Hee hee, hi, doggy!" said Colin, petting the skull-lump that protruded beneath the tight fur on the Dane's head. "Wow. How old is he?"

"Almost a year," said Damian, petting the back of Titus's neck.

"Oh, so he's still a puppy," said Colin, giving Titus his hand to sniff and lick.

"Yeah. He's so big, though," said Damian.

"Taller than us!" Colin laughed.

"Hello," came a deep voice. The boys looked up to see Bruce walking into the room. He was in black slacks and a dark gray shirt that enunciated his muscles.

Colin gulped, thinking _That's the Batman!_

"You must be Colin," he said, leaning down and extending his huge hand. Colin shook it as best he could, as his own freckled hand was nearly engulfed by Bruce's.

"It's nice to meet you, sir," he said politely.

"Call me Bruce, please."

"OK."

"I'm really glad you could come over," Bruce continued as he stood up. "When Damian told me he had a boyfriend, I was really excited."

Damian blushed and once again held Colin's hand.

"I'm going to show Colin around the house," he said.

"Dinner will be ready at 7 o'clock sharp," said Alfred.

"What's for dinner?" asked Colin.

"Spaghetti and meatballs," answered the butler. "I do hope you haven't an aversion to the dish."

"Uh…" Colin's eyes darted over to Damian; he didn't know what 'aversion' meant.

"Do you like dislike spaghetti?" he muttered.

"Uh, no. That'll be fine," Colin replied.

"Come on, let me show you my room," said Damian, dragging his boyfriend upstairs.

* * *

"Huh. This is your bed?" asked Colin, curiously eyeing the twin bed with the one cylindrical pillow.

"Yeah," said Damian.

"Looks kinda uncomfortable. How do you sleep on it?"

" tt. Like this," Damian said, demonstrating how he lies flat on his back with his head resting on the pillow.

"Yeah, but like, you can't roll over on your side or anything," said Colin.

"That's the way warriors in the League of Assassins conserve their energy for the following morning," Damian explained, arrogantly. Colin just giggled a little.

"Looks weird," he said. Eyes roaming all over the room, he noticed some of the other interesting things Damian kept close. "You play the violin?"

"A little," said Damian. "I don't really practice anymore. Too busy with other stuff."

"Whoa- did you paint this?" cried Colin, admiring a large, unfinished portrait of Titus, sitting on an easel.

"Still working on it," said Damian. "It's kinda hard to copy from a picture I took on my phone, but I'll get there."

"You're a really good artist," said Colin.

"Thanks."

"No, seriously. You could be a professional painter!"

"Uh, well, the thing about artists is, their work doesn't become valuable until long after they're dead," Damian explained, ready to regale Colin with his vast knowledge of art history.

"No, you could like, be the guy who paints the picture of the president and his family," said Colin. "Or you could paint murals around the city."

Damian just shrugged. "I guess."

"Everything here is so awesome," Colin sighed. He turned back to Damian, who couldn't help smiling. Taking a deep breath, Colin smiled back and slowly walked into Damian's arms.

" _I'm glad you're here,"_ said Damian.

" _Me, too,"_ whispered Colin. The two boys stood, holding each other for a moment, unsure of what they were supposed to do next. After a few seconds, Damian just leaned in and wrapped his arms around Colin, and slowly rubbed his back up and down. Colin reciprocated, sighing into Damian's shoulder.

"So what video game systems do you have?" asked Colin, as they parted.

"Wii, Xbox and PS4," said Damian. "Which do you prefer?"

"We have a Wii at the orphanage, but you're only allowed to play it if you keep your grades up. And even then, you have to like, reserve it in advance, so I haven't played it that much. But I do like Mario Kart."

"I have that," said Damian. "What about Smash Bros.?"

"Never played that one," said Colin. "I've seen the commercials, though."

"Let's go," said Damian. And the young couple trotted off to the game room.

* * *

While the boys played, they also talked.

"Um, can I ask you something?" said Damian.

"What?"

"Why do you like me?" Damian asked, laughing at himself a little.

"'cause you're awesome?" Colin answered. Damian growled and paused the game.

"I'm serious, Colin," he said, turning to his date. "I'm not the easiest person to get along with. All my brothers think I'm a brat. Even my father calls me names sometimes. Why is it different with you?"

Colin set down his steering-wheel controller and turned to face Damian.

"I like you because you're brave, and strong, and everything I wish I could be," he said. Damian's eyebrows went up as he absorbed this flattery.

"Us kids at the orphanage don't get told that we have much of a future," the redhead continued. "No one tells us that we can be anything when we grow up. I think the nuns are too afraid to tell us that most of us probably won't even be adopted, so we'll be stuck there until we're eighteen, then get sent out to work in crappy minimum-wage jobs for the rest of our lives. But when I see stories of Batman and Robin, and any other heroes in the city, it gives me hope. And when I'm with you, I feel like I could be more than just a write-off. Y'know?"

Damian inched closer to Colin on the couch and touched his shoulder.

"I'm glad I can help you believe in yourself," he said.

"What about you? Why do you like me?" Colin asked with a smirk.

"I guess because you let me be a kid," said Damian. "All my life I've been taught to kill, to lead, to ascend to a higher destiny, and I've never had a choice. I never knew what I was missing until I met you. I know I'd never fit in in regular school, even if I wanted to. You're the only thing that allows me to relax and enjoy being a kid. There's so much expected of me now, and even more when I grow up. But I forget all that when we're together."

"Glad I can be that for you," said Colin, leaning in to rest his cheek on Damian's shoulder.

"Also," Damian began.

"What?" Colin lifted his head back up to look Damian in the eye.

"I, uh, I get scared sometimes," said Damian. "I've done terrible things, as you know. I've killed people. Tortured people. I was taught not to have mercy or sympathy. And sometimes I get scared that that's who I really am. Scared that someday I'll revert to that, or that it'll catch up with me, and I'll never be able to escape it."

Colin's eyes widened at the vulnerability Damian was displaying.

"But if I can like you, if I can have feelings for you," Damian continued. "Then maybe there's hope for me. Maybe I'm not as bad as I think I am."

" _You're not bad at all,"_ Colin whispered. Damian looked down, leaned his forehead against Colin's, and placed his left hand on the side of the redhead's face. But then the two boys just held still. They weren't sure what to do next.

Damian wanted to kiss Colin, but didn't know how to initiate it.

Colin wanted Damian to kiss him, but wasn't sure how to let him know.

So after a few moments, they parted, and decided to change the subject.

"Want to watch a movie?" asked Damian.

"OK," said Colin. "What did you have in mind?"

"I don't know. What do you want? We have Netflix, so we can watch just about anything."

"Actually, do you want to watch Aladdin?" asked Colin.

"I've never seen it, so OK," said Damian, taking the remote and changing the functions of the TV so that they could stream movies.

"There's certain parts of it, I mean, like, when we were busting up that crack house?"

"Yeah?"

"It kind-of made me think of Aladdin."

"OK," Damian smiled. Normally not one to seek out and watch Disney movies, the green-eyed boy was now excited to share something new with his boyfriend.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 08

Please review, thanks.


	9. Chapter 09

**Life and Love: Chapter 09**

Chikorita-Trainer1

T

Disclaimer: I don't own Batman or Aladdin.

 **Author's note: The religious assignments that Colin mentions in this chapter are based off of ones I used to do in grade school. I didn't go to a Catholic school, though, it was Lutheran, and very liberal. I don't know what kind of religious work they have kids in Catholic schools do, so I just used my own experiences.**

* * *

For most of the movie, Damian couldn't really understand why Colin said he was reminded of it when they were fighting crime. Unless he associated their methods with Aladdin's tendency to run across and jump over rooftops to elude the guards.

Was it because Aladdin was streetwise and clever? Did that remind Colin of Damian? What could he have possibly meant?

The only thing that kept Damian from getting so aggravated that he verbally expressed his confusion, was the fact that he and Colin were sitting side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder, and hand-in-hand. To have the redhead's warm body pressing up against his side was the most soothing and blissful sensation the young Robin had ever felt. He would occasionally turn his head a millimeter and catch a whiff of Colin's hair, softly, hoping that he wouldn't notice and think it was weird.

But just the same, Colin would occasionally rub his thumb around Damian's hand while they watched the movie. Both boys were delicately enjoying the other's touch, discreetly.

After "A Whole New World," when Aladdin returned Jasmine to the balcony, Damian started to get the idea of what had made Colin think of this movie.

When they were on the fire escape the night of their confession, it must have felt a little like this scene.

" _Goodnight, my handsome prince."_

" _Sleep well, princess."_

The magic carpet elevated Aladdin to meet the lips of Jasmine, and the two lingered, mouths pressed together, for a few seconds, and then Jasmine went back into her room, and Aladdin, so happy and in love, just let himself fall backwards onto the carpet.

Damian wanted to ask Colin if that's what he had meant, but didn't want to ruin the moment. So instead, Damian readjusted his position on the couch, extending his arm around Colin's shoulders and pulling him close, so that they were both leaning in the same direction, but Colin was leaning on him.

Colin grinned and looked up at Damian, who grinned back. Colin sighed and returned his gaze to the screen.

When the movie was over, the boys were called to dinner, and they happily held hands as Damian led Colin into the dining room.

Bruce was sitting at the end of the table, and Damian sat down at his right, and Colin sat to the right of Damian. Alfred emerged from the kitchen, carrying a silver platter with three plates of spaghetti and meatballs; one for Bruce, and one for each of the boys.

"Smells great, Mr. Pennyworth," said Colin. "Thank you," he added as the butler set the plate down in front of him.

"My pleasure, Master Colin," said Alfred. "What would you like to drink?"

"Oh, uh, juice?"

"Apple, orange or fruit punch?" Alfred inquired.

"Uh, apple. Thank you," said Colin.

"Very good, sir. And Master Damian, iced tea, unsweetened?"

"Yep."

Bruce already had a bottle of beer in front of him, so when Alfred returned with the boys' beverages, and sat himself down left of Bruce, they began their meal.

"So, what have you guys been up to?" asked Bruce.

"We played some video games, and then we watched Aladdin," said Damian.

"That's a good movie," said Bruce. "Colin, did Damian show you his paintings?"

"Uh-huh," said Colin. "They're amazing." Damian smiled and looked down.

"They sure are," said Bruce. "Now, tell us a little more about yourself, Colin. I know you still have the Venom inside you. Does it ever cause problems? Do you ever have trouble controlling it?"

"No," said Colin. "I can manipulate it to individual body parts if I want to. But I usually like to bulk up my whole body. It makes for a pretty good disguise."

"If you ever want a mask, I can have one made up for you," said Bruce.

"No, that's OK, Mr. Wayne- uh, Bruce," Colin laughed. "But thank you."

"What's it like in the orphanage?" asked Bruce. "When I lost my parents, I was fortunate enough to have Alfred here raise me, so I didn't have to go to one. Is it tolerable?"

"Yeah, it's fine," said Colin. "I don't know anything else, so I can't really say if the conditions are good or bad. I don't have many friends, though. Sometimes the nuns can be kind-of nosy, but then I just have to remind myself that they're doing it because they care."

"What do you mean by nosy?" asked Damian.

"Well, sometimes when I just want to be alone in my room, they come in and ask if I want to join the choir, or do an activity. And they get, like, offended when I say no. I don't have anything against activities or choir, I just want to be alone."

"It's probably because they fear that without constant stimulation, a child with no parents might end up going down the wrong path. They want to make sure you're constantly occupied," Bruce suggested.

"I guess," said Colin. "I just hope they don't figure out I'm gay."

There it was. The elephant in the room. Bruce was actually hoping that no one would bring it up and they could treat the boys' relationship like any other relationship in the world. But obviously, Colin felt it was something he needed to bring up; just like he had when he and Damian were discussing the things they did and didn't believe in.

"Do they make it a policy to teach against it?" Bruce asked.

"Not really. We have Bible lessons in class, but they're usually D-I-Y worksheets-"

"What's D-I-Y?" asked Damian.

"Do-It-Yourself. It's a worksheet that has a hypothetical situation on it, and you're supposed to answer what you would do in that situation. Like if you found someone's wallet: Would you return it to that person or keep the money? Stuff like that. And usually you have to interpret a Bible verse that applies to it in some way. So it's not like there's a WRONG answer, you just tell the truth."

"But have they ever tried to teach you that being gay is wrong?" asked Bruce.

"Not in my class, anyway," said Colin. "Maybe they think 4th grade is too young. Maybe they wait until like 7th grade to start addressing that."

"Well, I want you to know that you are always welcome in this house, Colin. Damian needs someone special in his life, and I'm glad he's found you."

" _Fatherrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…."_ groaned an embarrassed Damian.

"Thank you," said Colin. "I like it here."

Before the conversation could take another turn, Tim walked into the dining room.

"Hey, everybody," he said cheerfully.

"Hello, Tim," said Bruce. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to do some work in the-" Tim cut himself off when he saw the redhead, unsure if he should mention the Batcave in front of their guest. He was to meet Dick in the Batcave, but didn't want to disclose that information in front of a non-family member.

"Colin, this is my brother, Dra- uh, Tim," said Damian.

"Oh, you're Colin. Hey, good to meet you," said Tim, shaking the boy's hand.

"Nice to meet you, too," Colin answered.

"Yes, this is my boyfriend, Colin," said Damian, standing up and putting his hand on Colin's shoulder.

"So you guys ARE together? That's awesome!" Damian could only clench his eyes shut in embarrassment. Why was everyone treating their relationship like it was the end of world hunger? They liked each other so they were dating! It was not that big a deal!

"Would you care to join us for dinner, Master Tim?" asked Alfred.

"Nah, that's OK. I've got some work to do. It was nice to meet you, Colin," Tim said as he left; he didn't want to intrude on what he was sure was an already semi-uncomfortable visit.

"How many brothers do you have?" asked Colin.

"Two- thr- well…" Damian stumbled. "Three, technically. But one of them doesn't really, like, want to be a part of this family."

"It's a long story," said Bruce. Colin knew better than to ask further prying questions, but the Batman continued to inform him. "My oldest son is Dick, better known as Nightwing."

"Nightwing? Your brother's NIGHTWING?!" Colin exclaimed. Damian rolled his eyes.

"He's not that cool," he grumbled.

"Yeah, he is!" said Colin. "I hope I get to meet him someday!"

"You already have," said Damian. "The night we took down Zsazs, that was Dick dressed as Batman. He was taking over for my father at the time."

"No way. THAT was him?" Damian nodded. _"Your family is so cool!"_

* * *

The boys finished up their pasta and were excused from the table. They had about forty-five minutes before they had to get Colin back to St. Aden's, so Damian decided to make the most of it.

He took Colin upstairs, down a dark hallway, to a large floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the topiary gardens of Wayne Manor, and beyond the wall, downtown Gotham.

Damian stood there, staring out into the night, with Colin at his side. Colin turned his head to look over at Damian, but his boyfriend refused to meet his gaze. Almost as if he was transfixed on something in the distance.

Damian could sense that Colin was waiting on him to make the next move, so he reached sideways and wrapped his arm around Colin's waist and pulled him near. He leaned his cheek onto the orphan's soft, wispy hair, and Colin snuggled into Damian's shoulder. They two of them stood there in silence like that for a minute.

At that point, Damian really wanted to kiss Colin. His whole body was tingling and he was having that cold-sweat feeling again. He wasn't sure if the act itself would calm him down or only make him more apprehensive, but he wanted to find out what it was like.

Stepping away from Colin just a bit, so that he could turn and face him, Damian must have successfully conveyed the message that kissing was what he wanted to do, because Colin didn't protest to the changing of their position. Instead, the redhead nuzzled his nose into Damian's, and closed his eyes. Damian closed his eyes and rested his lips upon Colin's.

It wasn't a peck; it lingered. Both boys breathed deeply through their noses, trying to steady their heart rates. Damian's pulse quickened and he could hear it pounding in his head. Colin in turn was shaking a little from nervousness and also from excitement.

After about ten seconds, the boys parted and opened their eyes.

Neither boy knew what to say. So they didn't say anything.

They kissed again.

However, Damian began to get more aggressive, as was his nature, and gripped Colin's shoulders, as if to keep him in place, even though he wasn't going anywhere.

Colin gasped a little and pulled away about a millimeter, before Damian pulled him back to his mouth.

Damian opened his lips and closed them over Colin's still-closed mouth, trying to deepen the connection in some way. Colin didn't stop him, either. The orphan opened his mouth to take a deep breath and allowed Damian to cover it with his own. They breathed into each other's mouths for a second, and then Colin pushed him away.

" _Dami- Damian, wait,"_ he stuttered. _"Slow down."_

" _S-sorry,"_ said Damian, now stroking Colin's hair.

" _No, it's OK. I just…don't want to…go too far. Not FAR as in- I just mean….let's not…uh…"_

" _French. I know. I don't want to, either."_

Colin broke out in a grin and began to giggle.

" _Right. We're only ten. Let's take it easy for now."_

" _Yeah,"_ said Damian. He placed one hand on the back of Colin's head and wrapped his other arm around his shoulder and pulled him close. Colin embraced Damian and rubbed his hands up and down the boy's back, feeling his spine through his turtleneck.

The bliss and euphoria that the boys were reveling in would have been shattered had they known who had just seen and snapped a picture of them.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 09

Please review, thanks.


	10. Chapter 10

**Life and Love: Chapter 10**

Chikorita-Trainer1

T

Disclaimer: I don't own Batman.

* * *

On the ride back to the orphanage, Damian and Colin were outwardly quiet, but on the inside, their systems were buzzing with excitement, attraction, energy and all other forms of stimuli that affect two people newly in love. The boys held hands in the back seat as Alfred drove them both down to St. Aden's.

"We have arrived, Master Colin," the butler said, stepping out of the car and walking around to open the side door.

"I'll see you later," said Colin, unbuckling his seatbelt. Damian leaned over and kissed his boyfriend on the cheek, just before Alfred opened the door.

"Goodnight," he said.

"Goodnight," whispered Colin. Then the redhead got out of the car and walked back into the orphanage.

"Thanks for everything, Mr. Pennyworth!" he called.

"You're entirely welcome, Master Colin," called Alfred. Once seeing that Colin had made it safely inside, the butler got back into the car and drove Damian home.

Damian was silent the entire ride. Alfred knew it was because he was thinking, and he didn't wish to interrupt the boy's blissful thoughts or ask questions that would make Damian uncomfortable.

All Damian could do was think about the kisses he and Colin had shared. He thought either or both of them would be grossed out, but when they actually started doing it, it wasn't so bad. Having a warm face pushed up against another was a pleasant sensation, and _did_ feel intimate enough to qualify as an activity one should only do with someone they love, so he liked that it was personal and special. He couldn't wait to do it again.

Meanwhile, in the Batcave, Tim was working out, fighting a punching bag, when his phone dinged. He grabbed it and checked what the notification was, thinking it was from Dick, who was supposed to meet him in the Cave.

It was from Dick, but it wasn't a message.

It was a picture.

Of Colin and Damian kissing.

 _Oh, for shit's sake,_ thought Tim. Just then, Dick came bouncing down the stairs into the Cave, grinning from ear to ear.

"Can you believe it?!" he squealed. "Is this not the cutest thing you've ever seen? Damian's gay! And he has a little boyfriend! How cute is that?!"

"I know," said Tim.

"I can't believe I never picked up on it before," said Dick, staring at his phone. "Obviously there are different WAYS a person can be gay, they're not all going to be feminine and flamboyant. But I never suspected it!"

"Dick-"

"I wonder who that kid is. I don't think I've ever seen him before."

" _Dick…"_

"Do you think Bruce knows? Wait, he's Batman, of course he knows. Probably knew before Damian did-"

"DICK!"

"What?"

"Bruce already knows. And so does Alfred, and so do I."

"Since when?" asked Dick, looking slightly offended.

"Since about a month ago," said Tim. "Damian told me he thought he might be gay, and that there was a boy he liked."

"Wait- _when_ was this?"

"I said, about a month ago."

"Why didn't he tell me? I could have helped him out."

"He was too embarrassed. Still is, probably."

"Yeah, but, I would never reject him. He has to know I'm not homophobic," said Dick.

"It was never about homophobia," said Tim.

"So why did he tell you before me? Don't you two hate each other?"

"That's precisely the reason he DID, Dick!" said Tim. "Because he and I aren't that close, because we already share a pretty antagonistic relationship, he felt that if the conversation were to turn awkward or ugly, nothing of value would be lost."

"And did it?"

"No. I told him that there's nothing wrong with being gay and that he has nothing to feel embarrassed about."

"But what was he afraid _I_ would do?" asked Dick. Tim opened his mouth, but couldn't form an answer.

"I don't know," he said. "But I couldn't tell you because he told me to keep it a secret until he was ready. And I did. And he told Bruce a few nights ago, and then Bruce invited Colin- that's the kid's name, Colin, over for dinner. I walked in on them tonight, but didn't want to get to involved."

" _Why would he hide it from me?"_ Dick asked again, wistfully.

"What were you doing, sneaking around, spying on them in the first place?" Tim demanded.

" _I_ was looking for _you_! You were supposed to meet me here, and you weren't here when I showed up!"

"You could have just called me, you know!" yelled Tim.

"What in the hell are you two screaming about, now?" grumbled Bruce as he stalked into the Cave.

"Dick's mad because nobody told him that Damian's gay," said Tim.

"I'm not _mad_ , I'm just disappointed that no one bothered to share it with me," said Dick.

"What is this? You took a picture of them? Give me that!" snarled Bruce, grabbing Dick's phone and immediately deleting the picture. "Have some respect for the boy's privacy, Dick!"

"It wouldn't BE about privacy if someone had just told me! Why am I the only person here who didn't know?"

"Ask Damian!" yelled Tim. "He'll probably be mad as hell you spied on him, but he's the only one who can give you that answer."

"Fine, I will!" said Dick, taking his phone back from Bruce and turning to go upstairs.

"Not NOW, idiot!" cried Tim. "Are we going to solve this case or aren't we?"

"Oh yeah," said Dick, sheepishly turning back around. "But I _am_ going to ask him about this later."

A few nights later, Nightwing caught up with Robin on a rooftop.

"What's up, Little D?" he asked.

"' _Little D?'_ Really?" groaned Robin, reminding his brother that they were never to use their real names, or even nicknames in the field.

"Haven't seen you in a while. Everything OK?"

"Fine. Why wouldn't it be?" Damian rebuffed. Nightwing shrugged.

"I don't know. Just thought you might have something you wanted to talk about," said the elder crime fighter.

" tt. Certainly nothing I wish to discuss with you," Robin sneered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nightwing asked, trying to convey to Damian that he wanted to talk about IT. Robin, of course, suspected it, but wasn't about to talk about it out in the field.

"Isn't that self-explanatory?" grumbled Robin. "Are you interested in stopping crime tonight, or did you just come here to stick your nose in my business?"

Nightwing rolled his eyes, personally offended by his little brother's words.

"You know what? Forget it," he retorted. "Just remember one thing, kid. You are one of the luckiest kids in the world. You have more privilege and opportunities than the 1%. You have a whole family of people who care about you, _so much_ , so maybe don't bite people's heads off when they show a general interest in your life, 'K?"

Nightwing jumped off the building and disappeared into the city, leaving Robin more confused and suspicious than he had been in months.

* * *

"What were you implying, tonight?" the child demanded when he caught up with Dick later on in the halls of Wayne Manor.

"When?" asked Dick.

"Tonight, on the rooftop! All you and Drake ever do is call me spoiled brat and gang up on me! Why can't you just ever SAY what's on your mind? Why do you always have to hide behind snide comments and backhanded implications? Why must you always be such an EMOTIONAL COWARD?!"

Dick's eyelids lowered and his expression changed into something resembling an emoticon made up of a dash, and underscore, and another dash.

"Damian," Dick began with a sigh. "Come with me." And the two brothers entered Dick's old room and sat down on the bed. "Why did you feel you couldn't tell me you were gay?"

Damian's eyes widened in horror and his chest clenched up as if he'd just been told he had less than a month to live. His body went cold, then hot, then cold again so quickly he thought he was going through menopause. He felt tears well up in his eyes, and then he blinked them back.

" _Who told you?"_ he muttered under his breath.

"No one," said Dick. "Though I wish someone had."

"Was it obvious? Do you have gaydar or whatever the hell-"

"Damian, I saw you and your little boyfriend making out in the hall last week."

Damian's face turned red and his eyebrows arched in offense and anger.

"WE WEREN'T….doing that!" he insisted.

" _Kissing,_ whatever," Dick corrected himself. "That's not even important. I wish that wasn't how I had found out-"

"Is this what you do?! Go around, spying one me, trying to find out if I engage in normal, human activities? You can't take my word for anything so you have to-"

"DAMN IT, DAMIAN, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHY YOU FELT YOU COULDN'T TELL ME!" Dick finally explained. Damian looked down and sighed.

"It's not because I thought you were homophobic," he stated.

"OK, then why?"

"It's embarrassing!" the child cried. "It would be embarrassing if I had a girlfriend, let alone a BOYFRIEND. OK? It's embarrassing and uncomfortable and awkward and I just didn't want to tell you right away."

"What did you think I would say? Or do?" Dick asked softly, placing his hand on Damian's small shoulder.

"I thought you'd make fun of me," Damian admitted. "Not in a mean, oppressive way, but you always tease me about everything! Every time I do something that I, like, wasn't _raised_ to do, or start to like something, you always act like it's _"so cute"_ to see me acting like a _"normal kid"_ or something. It really bothers me, and it doesn't make me feel comfortable at all!" Damian's voice was beginning to crack at the end of this explanation.

Dick's expression softened as he absorbed what his little brother had just told him. He removed his hand from Damian's shoulder and put it back in his own lap, and turned away.

"It's done out of love," he tried.

"Well, I hate it!" cried Damian. "It's like you go out of your way to point out that I'm different, or weird, or not normal! It's not fun to always be criticized for being different, and you only make it MORE prevalent that I'm different when I do something you consider "normal" and you make fun of me for it!"

"OK, I'm sorry about that, Damian. I am. I tease people. It's part of being a big brother."

"Says who?" snapped Damian. "Where is it written that a big brother HAS to be a pain in the ass to his younger siblings?"

Dick chuckled. "I don't know, Damian. It's just something that come naturally. An assertion of dominance, I guess. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I do want you to understand that you hurt mine."

"How?" Damian challenged.

"I have spent a lot of time and energy on you," said Dick. "I was there for you when Bruce couldn't be. I taught you, trained you, reassured you when you were upset."

"So?"

"So I deserve to know what's going on in your life, even if it's embarrassing. I care about you, and I want to help you and understand you as well as I can. I don't know if you're old enough to understand this, but confiding in a person is a sign of trust, and a sign of respect."

"Respect? How?"

"It shows that you hold the person in high regard as someone you can trust with your deepest secrets. It makes the person you're sharing them with feel good, and feel like they must mean a lot to you if you go to them for advice or confession."

Damian thought about this for a moment. He thought about how it made him feel when his father would keep things from him, and how it really hurt his feelings because it made him feel like his father didn't trust him. Or that he thought less of him, thought he didn't deserve to have all the same information the rest of the family did.

"OK, I see your point, Grayson," he admitted. "And I was going to tell you, eventually. Just not anytime soon."

"Well, like I said, I wish I hadn't found out the way I did."

Damian groaned and looked away.

"But I am happy for you, kid," Dick said. "Love is precious, and you deserve to experience it just as much as anyone else."

"Yeah, saying corny things like that doesn't help, either!" he growled. Dick could only laugh.

"Sorry. Can you at least tell me how you met the kid and what he means to you?" Dick said, resting his chin on his hand and sliding down on the bed so that he was lying on his side, propped up on his elbow.

"Well, remember when we were investigating those slaughtered kids that Humpty Dumpty had tried to "put back together"?"

"Yeah?"

And Damian told Dick the whole story.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 10

Please review, thanks.


	11. Chapter 11

**Life and Love: Chapter 11**

Chikorita-Trainer1

T

Disclaimer: I don't own Batman or any DC characters.

Author's note: **I know it's been over a month since I last updated, and I apologize. I just was out of ideas for where to take this story. I think next chapter will probably be the last one. Thank you all so much for supporting this story. For all of you who have reviewed, THANK YOU. My intention with this story was to make you feel all warm and fuzzy, and say "Awww, that's so sweet!" So when I get reviews saying stuff like that, I know I've done my job.**

* * *

Damian told Dick the whole story, of how he and Colin had met, how they had bonded, and even the moment Damian had begun to fall for him. Dick was thrilled to see so much positive growth in his little brother, and of course, was happy for him that he had found love.

"I'm glad you and Tim found some common ground," said Dick. "Even if it was just because you _didn't_ get along at first."

"Yeah. I guess you never know what'll bring people together," Damian said with a shrug. "So anyway, that's it. He's my boyfriend, and I really like him."

"I'm totally happy for you, Little D," said Dick, ruffling Damian's hair. Damian made a face, but didn't try to get out of it.

"You're never going to stop, are you?"

"Stop what?"

"Being annoying in the name of fraternity?" Damian answered. Dick pretended to think about it for a moment, and then said,

"Nope." And the two vigilantes laughed.

After that, Dick decided it was time for him to leave, but first he stopped in the Batcave to talk to Bruce.

"You heading out?" asked Bruce.

"Yeah, I was just talking with Damian, but now I'm going to go."

"How is he?" asked Bruce, turning around in his swivel chair to face his eldest son.

"He's fine. He was really mad at me for spying on him, but we talked it out. He's fine."

"Good," said Bruce, standing up. "I knew no matter how gentle I was in my acceptance of his orientation, you would no doubt tease and embarrass him."

"Not you, too!" groaned Dick. Bruce chuckled. "I wouldn't have, had he told me," said Dick. "On an issue this sensitive, I would have taken it seriously and not made fun of him at all."

"I'm glad to hear that, Dick," said Bruce. "It was easy for me to take it seriously, but then again, it's hard for me _not_ to take anything seriously."

Dick laughed out loud at that.

"Bruce," he said, getting more serious. "You're a great dad. I hope you know that."

"Thanks, son."

"I mean it. For you to be able to accept Damian as gay, to react to it so calmly and lovingly. I mean, even parents who aren't exactly homophobic might still be a little weirded-out by it. But not you. You just…you just know how to handle things."

Bruce smiled and pulled Dick in for a hug.

"If I didn't have you for a son, I probably would be a lot colder," he admitted. "You were the first. You were the first one to bring a ray of light into my life, Dick. I will always be grateful for that. I used to think that my legacy would be my mission, but I'm much happier knowing that my legacy will be you boys."

 _"Thank you, Bruce,"_ Dick whispered. "Take care."

"You, too," said Bruce. The two men parted, and Dick got on his motorcycle and rode out of the Cave.

* * *

Later that week, Batman allowed Robin to patrol separately from him, knowing that his son probably wanted to visit Colin.

Contacting him via the chip in his brass knuckles, Robin told Abuse to meet him on top of a historic building in downtown Gotham. It took Abuse a while to find his way, but when he did, he climbed up to the roof with no problem; digging his strong fingers into the brick and stone like a gargoyle, and hauling himself up to the roof.

"Hey," said Robin.

"Hey," said Abuse. Robin stepped toward him and pulled off his hood.

"Shrink down," he said softly.

"Why?" asked Abuse.

"Just do it," said Robin. Abuse was skeptical, but knew he could trust his own boyfriend, so he reverted to his ten-year-old self.

"OK, how come?" he asked again.

" _So I could do this,"_ said Damian, placing his hands on either side of Colin's face, pulling him in for a kiss. Colin smiled and wrapped his arms around Damian's waist, hugging him close.

" _Hn hn hn,"_ chuckled the redhead when they parted. "Did you want to fight crime, or just hang out?"

"Either. Both, I don't care," said Damian.

"Well, if I have to shrink down, you have to take off your mask," Colin said playfully. He gently removed his boyfriend's green mask and Damian tucked it away in his belt.

"I missed you," said Damian, leading Colin away into the shadows so they could remain hidden. They came to a wall and slid down, sitting down on the rooftop, side-by-side.

"Me, too," said Colin, leaning his head on Damian's shoulder. "You're all I think about now."

"Yeah, same here," Damian admitted.

"What have you been up to this past week?" asked Colin.

"Not much. Going on patrol with my dad. Nothing too interesting."

"I guess that's good. If no huge crimes have been committed, I mean," said Colin.

"Yeah," Damian agreed. "I don't want to talk about that right now, though." Colin sat up and looked at Damian, quizzically.

"What do you-?"

"I'd rather just, you know, just sit here with you," Damian admitted. Colin smiled.

"OK," he said, sitting back down.

"Actually, I wanted to talk about..." Damian began. "Um, when you were over at my house, and you didn't like the way I was kissing you."

"Oh, that," said Colin. "No, it's not that I didn't like it, you were just moving faster than I expected. I was afraid you were going to, like…"

"What? What did you think I was going to do?"

"I don't know…like…rip my clothes off or something?" Colin suggested.

"Why would I do that?!" cried Damian. Colin gritted his teeth and motioned with his arms for Damian to 'take it down a notch' vocally.

"I don't know," he said. "'cause you had your hands on my shoulders and like…I don't know. That was my first kiss, and you were like, just, getting kind-of aggressive. I didn't know what to expect."

"Well, sorry," said Damian, getting that same insecure and embarrassed feeling he got when Colin had told him to let the shoplifter go.

"Sorry if I made you feel rejected," said Colin. "I really do like you, Damian. And I like kissing you."

Damian's smile returned and he looked back up at Colin. Without saying a word, the young Robin leaned in and pecked Colin on the lips. Colin didn't even have time to close his eyes. Both boys giggled and grinned at each other.

"How was that?" asked Damian.

"That was fine," said Colin. "How about this?" And the redhead swooped in and kissed Damian on the cheek. Damian chuckled softly, and then kissed Colin on the nose.

" _Tee hee hee hee!"_ Colin giggled, reaching out to playfully punch Damian in the chest. Damian skillfully caught his boyfriend's fists and prevented contact, but Colin only wiggled around so that he was all but climbing on top of Damian.

"Colin, hey!" Damian complained, lightheartedly. "Now YOU'RE the one getting aggressive!"

"And your point is?" the redhead asked, now lying on top of Damian. Damian just gazed up into the boy's hazel eyes, and then sighed, relaxing against the rooftop, letting Colin's full weight press onto his body. Colin was about to lean down for another kiss when Damian started taking off his gloves. "Uh, what are you-?" Colin asked, afraid that Damian wanted them both to get undressed.

" _Shh,"_ said Damian, now running his bare hands through Colin's soft hair. Colin closed his eyes and sighed. He liked it when Damian touched him, though he was too embarrassed to admit it. He took his own hand and put it over Damian's, pressing the dark-haired boy's hand closer to his cheek. Damian then pulled Colin down for another kiss, and this time, it lingered; it wasn't just another peck.

 _I'm in love with you, Colin,_ Damian wanted to say. _I love you. I'm only ten, and I'm totally in love with you._

Colin turned his head to the side, deepening the kiss while Damian stroked his hair further.

 _I'm so lucky to have you, Damian,_ he thought. _I love you. I want to tell you that, but I don't know if it's OK. We're so young. Do we even know what love is?_

Just then, Damian's com made a sound, alerting him.

" _Robin, I need you,"_ came Batman's voice. Damian sat up quickly and shoved Colin off of him.

"Where?" Robin responded, quickly putting his gloves and mask back on.

" _Fifth and Washington. Bank heist. Over and out."_

"Come on, we've got to go," Robin said. Colin happily morphed back into the hulking vigilante known as Abuse.

"Just say the word." Damian looked back over his shoulder at his boyfriend, and grinned.

"Gonna kick some ASS NOW!"

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 11

Please review, thanks.


	12. Chapter 12

**Life and Love: Chapter 12**

Chikorita-Trainer1

T

Disclaimer: I don't own Batman or any of its characters.

 **Author's note: Thank you all for reading, reviewing and supporting this story. I'm sorry this will be the final chapter, but I hope it will be satisfying. As I said in the last author's note, my goal with my stories is to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and thinking "Aww, that's so cute!" Hopefully this story has done the job. I am aware that writing in this formula basically makes me a hack, but I enjoy what I do, and I hope you enjoy reading my work. Thanks again!**

* * *

Damian and Colin had officially been dating for one full month, and to ten-year-old, that seems like a long time. Damian had never been this happy in his entire life; he'd never known that such happiness could come from something like a relationship.

But of course, Damian was still the serious child he always had been. He looked at his relationship with Colin, not as something fun and cool, but as something deep and sacred, and just as important as his mission in Gotham. A mission he now wanted to share with his boyfriend.

In short, Damian wanted to tell Colin that he loved him. Not just _liked_ him, not just _enjoyed his company,_ not once again telling him he _'couldn't live without' him._ No, Damian was convinced that he was mature enough to know what love is, and certainly believed he was grown-up enough to declare it.

But what stopped him was the fear that the admission of this would scare Colin away, and that he would lose him. Whom could Damian go to for advice?

His father wasn't a married man, so how could Bruce know when it's the right time to tell someone you love them?

Dick was a dirty stomp-around as far as Damian knew; he laid girls left and right and his only long-term relationships were now things of the past, and he seldom mentioned them.

Naturally, Damian wanted to go to Tim, as he had for everything else up to this point. But Tim also was single at the moment. And even though Damian knew his brother had had a few girlfriends in his life, he wasn't sure if Tim knew any more about real love than anyone else in the family.

But Tim had helped him so much this far, so Damian was resigned to go to him once more. This time, they met up one night while they were each on a private patrol.

"Hey, Robin," said Red Robin. "How's it going?"

"Fine," said Robin. "I do need to ask your advice, though."

"Can it wait until we get home?"

"I suppose," sighed Robin. "Though I would like not to have to go home first. I want to visit Colin and…"

"OK," Red Robin cut him off. Turning to his little brother, he said "Let's find a place to talk in private."

The two birds fired their tethers into the night, and swung from one rooftop to another, until they came to a small window indentation on the side of a building that they were sure no one was in.

Red Robin took off his mask. "Is this about…?"

"Yeah," said Robin, also removing his mask.

"Well? Out with it!" said Tim.

"Do you think it would be appropriate for me to tell him that I love him?" Damian asked, his face stoic, despite his insides vibrating with embarrassment and anticipation. Tim's eyebrows went up, and Damian looked away, ashamed that he'd brought it up. "Ugh. Forget it," he finished suddenly.

"No, I don't think it would be inappropriate," said Tim. "Just didn't know you were going to ask me that, that's all."

"Do you think I'm too young to really know what love is?" Damian asked, turning his head back to face his brother.

"Normally, I would say yes," said Tim. "If you were just another ten-year-old, I'd say you were too young. Not only that, but that you're too young to even have to worry about stuff like that; declarations of love and whatnot."

"But?" Damian urged.

"But since you're _not_ just another ten-year-old, you ARE pretty mature for your age, and you've been through so much in your short little life, yes. I would say you are old enough to know what love is."

Damian smiled and beamed with pride. It was nice to be acknowledged as a learned being with experience and intelligence.

"What about Colin? Do you think he…might love me?"

"I don't know the kid that well, Damian," said Tim, wishing he could give the young Robin a better answer. "That'd have to be your call. If you really do love him, and want to tell him, then you're also going to have to trust that he'll be cool with it. Even if he isn't ready to say it back, he'll probably be flattered and touched that you feel that way."

"What if I scare him away?" asked Damian. "What if it ruins everything and he breaks up with me?"

"I don't think he will, Damian," said Tim. "He already _is_ your boyfriend, which means he likes you…a LOT. And, like you, he's been exposed to a lot more than the average ten-year-old. Which means he has probably matured beyond his years as well. I bet if you tell him, he won't freak out. I think he'll react positively."

"What if he doesn't?" Damian asked softly, looking off into the night sky.

"Well, then you can punch me in the face," chuckled Tim. Damian snorted.

"I can always punch you in the face!" he replied.

"Yeah, but this time I'm giving you permission to do it," said Tim. "Seriously, Damian. Everything will be fine. Go tell him how you really feel. I think you're ready."

"OK," said Damian, getting ready to swing down to the orphanage. But first he turned back. "Um, thank you. For everything, Tim. I don't know if I could have gotten this far if you hadn't been here for me."

"That's what big brothers are for," said Tim, putting his mask back on. "I'll see you at home, later?"

"Yeah," said Damian, putting his mask back on and firing his tether.

And with that, Robin and Red Robin parted ways.

 _OK, I'm going to do it,_ thought Damian. _No turning back now._ He climbed up the fire escape to the orphanage, up to the window outside of Colin's room, and gently tapped on the window a few times.

Nobody answered.

He tapped again, this time a little harder.

Still nothing.

 _Third time's the charm_ , he thought, tapping again.

Nothing.

 _Oh, FINE, I'll just contact him! Jeez, so much for a romantic surprise…_

Damian activated the chip in one of Abuse's brass knuckles, and soon enough, the redhead got up and slowly opened his window.

"AGH!" he cried, not expecting Damian to be right outside the window.

" _SHHHHHH!"_ hissed Damian.

" _What are you doing here?!"_ Colin whispered.

" _I just wanted to see you,"_ Damian whispered innocently.

" _Why didn't you just meet me at the garage?"_

" _Because this isn't- uh- I mean, I'm not inviting you out to- I- uh…"_ Damian stuttered.

 _Crap. I should have thought this through,_ he thought.

"Damian, what is it?" Colin asked, climbing out onto the fire escape and gently shutting the window.

"I needed to tell you something," said Damian. Colin's face lit up, though he kept his expression one of seriousness, attentively anticipating whatever it was that Damian was about to say.

"I love you," said Damian. Colin just smiled and said

"I love you, too."

"No, I mean, literally," said Damian. He thought at first that Colin had misunderstood, and took it just as something people who are dating say casually to each other.

"Uh…OK?"

"You mean more to me than anything in the world, Colin," Damian held both of his boyfriend's hands in his own. "I've never cared about anyone like this, they way I care about you. I wasn't sure if I should tell you, because we're just kids, but, I know, I mean I KNOW, that I love you."

Colin smiled even wider and looked down, flattered as all hell and blushing redder than Damian had ever seen.

"Damian, I get it. And I love you, too. A lot. A LOT-lot, heh."

" _Oh, good,"_ Damian breathed. "I was afraid I'd scare you away or some-"

Damian was cut off as Colin embraced him and kissed him hard. Damian could feel just the slightest amount of pain at the force of the kiss. For the first time, Colin was being the aggressive one, taking the initiative. Damian hugged Colin back, gently running his gloved fingers through the redhead's hair.

When the boys parted, they kept their faces close, touching noses.

" _And you're a really good kisser,"_ Damian sighed. Colin smiled and kissed Damian again, open-mouthed (A/N: Still not with tongue! They're too young for that!).

Damian breathed in deeply through his nose, never wanting the kiss to end. But it did.

"Want to come in for a bit?" asked Colin.

"In? As in…?"

"Just come in my room for a bit. Obviously you can't spend the night, but for a little while…"

Damian nodded and followed his boyfriend into the small room, and laid down beside him on his bed.

"What do you want to do?" he asked skeptically.

"Nothing. Just cuddle," said Colin, answering in a tone of voice that implied that the answer was obvious. Damian blushed at that. After all, what else could Colin have possibly meant?

The orphan vigilante curled up in Damian's arms, and tucked his head under the Robin's chin. Damian wound his arms around Colin's shoulders, and Colin pulled the blanket up over them, up to their waists.

 _Cuddling. With my boyfriend,_ Damian thought.

" _I love you, Damian,"_ whispered Colin.

" _I love you,"_ sighed Damian. And after planting a tiny kiss atop Colin's head, Damian fell into a light yet peaceful sleep, holding the one person he cared for more than anyone in the world.

* * *

THE ENDPlease review, thanks.


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